Trick Of Light
by Plain-Is-Prettiest
Summary: New City. New School. New Identity. Zach has never been a normal human being. Well, that's because he isn't even human. But when he meets that certain girl, Zach immediately falls in love .But as the clock is ticking and the stakes are rising, what happens when the she is at the wrong place at the wrong time? Partially based on I Am Number Four with a twist in it too!
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Gallagher Girl series or I Am Number Four series. Rights reserved to the characters and plot.**

* * *

"Here we are! Welcome to Los Angeles Zach! It's beautiful isn't it! Wow," Joe exclaimed with infuriating enthusiasm as they drove down Main Street, grand historic and elegant buildings coming to view.

Zach rolled his eyes and rested his head against the window glumly, music blasting through his earbuds only to jerk away irritatingly by the heat that was starting to build in the small car.

He sighed and slumped in his seat. "Joe, this is one of the biggest cities in California. How the hell are we going to stay hidden?"

"Easy. Just blend in." Joe replied breezily. He rolled his eyes again. "Whatever."

At that moment the ocean came into view, a magnificent sight if brilliant blue rolling waves like sparking silk stretching across the horizon.

Zach spotted people of all age's elderlies, children, adults but mostly teens his age, jet skiing, in the water, surfing, playing volleyball, everything imaginable. Boy did they look like they were having fun.

Zach sighed watching them with longing and yearned to be a normal kid where those things he would've done for granted.

"And here we are," Joe turned the signal, pulling into the driveway.

Zach gazed up at the small, cozy house with shingles in the roof and an abandoned swing seat sitting on the nicely painted porch. There was even a basketball hoop attached to the side of house.

Zach raised an eyebrow. "This is nice," he admitted stepping out of the car and pulling his bag over his shoulder.

Joe grinned smugly. "Where's the Mr. Doom-and-Gloom now?"

Zach shook his head, a ghost of a smile on his lips. "Never again Joe. Never again."

Joe unlocked the door and they both stepped into the empty hall, the smell of sawdust and fresh paint flooding his nostrils. There was a pretty large living room, complete with all the necessary furniture and a cozy kitchen leading to a sliding glass doors to a deck.

"There's a Jacuzzi tub too?" Zach asked peering through it. "Yeah, but were not going to heat it," Joe replied.

Zach rolled his eyes keeping in a snarky comment and hauled his two bags upstairs. There were two rooms and he decided to pick the one with the big bay window.

It didn't have the view of the ocean like Joe's room did, just the lovely image of his neighbor's deck but he liked the fresh, vast breeze that blew through, the scent of the large hibiscus flowers faintly drifting around the room.

He didn't need to unpack, always on the move to leave at just the faintest notice so he went back downstairs to see Joe had set up various laptops with wires connected to them.

"Anything?" He asked. Joe shook his head. "No recent activity what so ever. I'm pretty sure we could stay here for a while."

Zach didn't let his hope grow. He pretty much lost all sureness on everything when his parents had died that horrible night.

Ever since then all strings he held on to life had come undone like snipping off a string of balloons and watching it drift up, up, _up_.

His life had been drifted on nightmare, he'd hardly been awake through the various process of assigning Joe as his "protector", of the packing, the moving every few months, the changed if identity each time.

He remembered a time where he would've thought it was part of a cool movie that only _happened _in movies. Now, it was as normal as breathing.

"Cool," Zach said nonchalantly. "Hey listen, you mind if I run to the store and buy a basketball for the hoop outside? I saw one not too far back."

Joe turned towards him frowning." Wait a minute, your documents-"

"The clerk is not going to ask me for my ID Joe," Zach interrupted. "I'll be fine."

A crease began to form between Joe's eyebrows.

"What's your name?" He demanded.

"Daniel Smith," Zach replied without hesitation.

"I've never seen you around before," Joe observed.

"That's because I'm new." He retorted.

"Where you from?"

"Arlington, Virginia," Zach said randomly.

Joe nodded. "That's good. Explains why you're not tan enough. Do you have your cellphone?"

"Yup."

"Dagger disguised as a pen?"

"Yeah."

"Be home within half an hour. Before dark. And if you don't answer my texts or calls I swear-"

"Joe this I'd not my first time." Zach cut in. "I promise you I'll be alive by the day ends."

"You never know," Joe muttered before saying louder, "alright. Just be careful. Don't talk to strangers."

Zach rolled his eyes. "Right because my life isn't crazy enough that I'll jump into a creepy guy's van just for the hell of it."

"Don't get snarky with me...young grasshopper."

* * *

_No in hell way am I just going to the store._ Zach thought as he raced to Venice Beach in a stolen car.

His life- well technically he didn't have a life- was down in pits to the point where he was dying to do something_, anything._

He ditched the car and stripped off his shirt and jeans, revealing swim trunks.

Soon Zachary Goode was found on a Jet Ski flipping through waves expertly even though he had never tried it before. Everything physical was effortless.

A large wave was rolling towards him and Zach grinned wildly, tightening his grip on the handles in anticipation and easily caught it, jumping off the wave in a 360 flip almost 30ft up in the air.

"Whoo!" People watching cheered and hooted and Zach couldn't help but grin uncontrollably feeling more invigorated in months.

"Hey! Hey, you!" Zach turned to the sound as he hopped of the Jet Ski, peeling off the life jacket to reveal his well-developed abs and biceps.

He smirked. It was an extremely attractive girl in a skimpy bikini walking towards him.

His eyes couldn't help but graze over her figure multiple times. That kind of body you wouldn't find just anywhere.

She approached him and Zach couldn't help but catch his breath. Jet black hair in wet loose curls, high cheekbones, flawless tanned skin… _day-um_ she was gorgeous as hell.

She smiled a boner-making smile and lifting her sunglasses to reveal eyes that could put the oceans striking blue to shame.

"That was pretty damn amazing and I don't give compliments very easily. I've seen many guys show off but nothing like _that_."

Her eyes roamed his body in the same appreciation." You don't look from here."

"That's cuz I'm not," Zach replied with a smirk, holding out a hand and purposely flexing his biceps.

"Daniel Smith."

She smiled just as a seductively. "Macey McHenry." She slipped her hand in his. "Pleasure to meet you Daniel."

Tightening her grip in his hand she stepped closer to him and his eyes involuntarily dropped to her inflated chest that was only inches from his.

"Take me for a ride," she whispered her lips grazing the shell of his ear, making him want to groan.

An hour and an awesome make out session later, Zach returned back to the house to find Joe waiting for him with his hands crossed over his chest.

"Where were you?" Joe demanded as soon as Zach climbed up the steps. "Buying a basketball," Zach replied twirling the orange ball with his index finger.

"Where _else_?" Joe hissed with clenched teeth.

Zach sighed but he couldn't really feel annoyance. Joe was his protector after all; he couldn't blame Joe for feeling paranoid of everything Zach did.

"I replied to your texts Joe. I was at the beach remember? I was just having some fun. Nothing happened."

"Fun._Fun_?" Joe spat. "You know the consequences of being reckless like that. Millions of Elorics died for you so you can reestablish the planet. Not to have so you can have "_some fun_."

"Well I'm sorry for wanting to act like a normal teenager!" Zach countered but instantly regretted it as soon as the words left his mouth.

He winced, watching Joe's face morph from deep red, to a strange purplish color.

"You are not even a human being! You are a far cry from being normal, you remember that well Zachary Goode. You were not brought to earth to be normal." Joe yelled, a vein popping in his forehead before taking a deep breath. "Okay. Go on to bed. School tomorrow."

Zach lingered for a split of a second wanting to genuinely apologize but if there was one thing he learned from his Celostan is that mushy-gushy-ness is not how he rolls.

So Zach obediently did what he was told.

* * *

"Alright Daniel. I'll just photocopy your documents and print out your schedule and you'll be all set. You can just sit over there for a few moments." Zach nodded at the plump white-haired lady and headed over to the chairs by the window of the principal's office.

But just as he sat down, he heard yelling from the behind the thin glass window.

"This is unacceptable! A complete violation to teacher's privacy rights! How _dare_ she take unsuspecting photos of me and post them on the internet! I _demand _you her suspend Professor Buckingham!"

Zach turned around and peered through the open space of the maroon blinds to see a round man in equally round glasses standing in front of the principal's desk and waving a paper around.

His razor-sensored eyes zeroed on the paper and realized it was a picture of him shoving his finger up his nose while lounging in front of his desk at a classroom. Zach stifled a laugh.

"Now now, Mr. Steve, let's not get hefty. Miss Morgan will you please come in."

A girl entered the room. Zach only got a glimpse of her blonde hair as she faced the principle and the seething Mr. Steve.

"Yes Professor Buckingham?" Her voice was very soft, but not quiet. Zach found it sort of endearing and wished she would turn around so he could see her face.

"What happened Cameron? You are such a good student and pleasure to work with. Why on earth would you do this?" It was obvious Buckingham had a soft spot for this "Cameron."

Zach found it an odd name, judging by her soft voice and blonde hair. It didn't really fit.

She shrugged. "I'm sorry. Things were rough that day."

"That is no excuse to-"

"Patience Mr. Steve," Professor Buckingham reprimanded. "Alright Cameron detention after school in my office, you will take the picture down there."

Mr. Steve looked like he was about to explode while Cameron nodded, turning around to leave. Zach quickly assessed her face, noticing she was very pretty.

Not as gorgeous as the girl he hooked up with yesterday, but had a certain aura about her that could probably be deduced as an even beautiful girl than Macey McHenry.

He noted she had just the right kind of mischievous twist to her red lips that there was no doubt she would do something like that, or maybe worse.

Which again, contradicted her angel-golden hair, innocent voice and adorable Bambi eyes.

But then suddenly, to Zach's horror, she all of a sudden glanced back, her big brown eyes staring straight at him!

"_Shit_," Zach hissed, jerking around in one fast motion feeling his face burn. "Daniel?" The secretary called and Zach almost jumped out of his skin.

"W-what?" His voice uncharacteristically croaky. He cleared his throat. "I mean, yes?"

She eyed him suspiciously. "Well, here's your schedule with your locker number at the bottom."

"Thanks," Zach reached out to take the paper, wanting to get out of here before "Cameron" does.

But then Zach heard the hinges of the door creak and kept his face down, his shaggy caramel hair falling in front of his eyes as Cameron walked out.

Ofcourse, the secretary had to call out- _that damn Ms. Huffles_- to Cameron.

"Excuse me dear, but could you show our new student, Daniel Smith to his locker?"

Zach cringed as she stopped in her tracks and turned around slowly. "Sure thing Ms. Huffles,"she replied in _that_ voice again, but Zach refused to look at her, still embarrassed. "Come on Daniel."

"So Cameron, you a bad-ass? Violating the poor teacher's privacy rights to clean his nose in peace?" Zach chuckled as they walked down the hall, his earlier uncomfortable-ness long gone.

She rolled her eyes. "I knew you were eavesdropping. A little Peeping Tom, huh?"

"It ain't eavesdropping when the guy is screaming at the top of his lungs. Who _didn't_ hear it is the real question," Zach replied smoothly.

She smiled, a little dimple forming at the corner of her lip. "Touche I guess. And it's Cammie, by the way. No one but the teacher's call me Cameron."

"Cam-mie " Zach said slowly, rolling the word in his tongue. He grinned down at her. "Oh yeah. Sounds totally bad-ass,"

"Shut up." Cammie muttered, her cheeks flushing. "Anyway, you act like you're such a bad boy when your name is Daniel _Smith."_

"Well, never say never. You don't know what I did in my last school do you? What I'm capable of?" Zach stopped and whispered, his eyes gazing down at her with ferocious intensity.

He smirked, watching her eyes widen in fear and started laughing. "Gosh, I'm kidding. Don't stop breathing on me. I'm the biggest good boy you'll ever see," Zach grinned, loving the irony and how inaccurate is statement was.

Cammie narrowed her eyes at him and gave him a playful shove. "Jerk," she muttered quickly moving her hands away as she felt the strong dents of his biceps.

"Oh. My. Gosh. _Daniel?_" A voice shrieked and Zach and Cammie turned to see the "goddess- in-disguise" tromp her way over to them, shoving kids out of her way.

Cammie raised her eyebrows at him. "You know Macey?" He shrugged sheepishly.

"It's so good to see you!" Macey exclaimed, looking divine in a short white lace Hollister ruffled dress that made her legs look like they could stretch out for miles.

Despite the fact that he was really attracted to her yesterday, Zach found himself liking Cammie's modest yoga pants and silk tee (Which really did look great on her; the skinny yoga pants shaping every curve of her toned legs and the tee hugged her body in a very distracting way.)

"You too Macey," Zach replied, smiling tightly.

"Hey Mace," Cammie spoke up from beside him and Macey turned to smile warmly at her. "Hiya Cam."

Zach deduced they were good friends. Which sucked since he made out with Macey but was starting to develop a crush on Cammie.

"So how do you even _manage_ to know _everyone _in this city?" Cammie asked.

Macey winked. "I have my ways."

After seeing Cammie's raised eyebrows, she leaned down in her 7-inch stilettoes to whisper, "He's the guy I told you about remember?"

Even without superhuman hearing Zach heard it. Macey did _not_ know how to whisper. Or maybe she did it on purpose.

"Oh." Cammie's shoulder's squared and she looked at Zach with the strangest expression. Disappointment? Pity? Whatever it was, the teasing light in her deep-set eyes was gone and Zach didn't like it.

"Well, since Macey's here, she could show you the rest of the way. I have to stop at Madame Dabney's classroom before the bell anyway. You don't mind, right Mace?" Cammie said abruptly.

"Of course not!" Macey exclaimed. She grabbed Zach's bicep, squeezing it deliberately before dragging him away. "Come on Daniel!"

Zach allowed her to take him away but that didn't stop him from glancing longily at Cammie's retreating figure. He had a feeling she had lied.

He felt a sinking feeling in his stomach as her scent of strawberries dissolved in Macey's expensive perfume.

He felt as if a magnetic force was pulling him in the opposite direction; where Cammie was heading.

Basically, he wished she was with him instead of Macey, no matter how stunning and popular she was.

Zach vaguely wondered if this is what Joe was talking about, how something becomes undone in Elorics once they meet someone who seems special.

He wondered if it will be a problem, judging by his hectic and dangerous lifestyle.

* * *

**A.N. So what do you think? I know I suck at endings. Seriously.**

**I don't really know where this is going to go, but I have some ideas. I think this might be my first multiple-chapter story! **

**JUST TO CLEAR THE STUFF UP:**

**-****Eloric ****is what Zach's race is called.**

**-****Celostan**** is what "Guardian" means in Eloric**

**-This is ****NOT**** a Zacey story, nor will they'll be any Zacey. (Well, I'm pretty sure they're won't be)**

**I don't like Zach being with anyone but Cammie!**

**I think Liz will be in the next chapter, not to mention Jonas and Josh! Grant and Bex are going to come in later, I have some stuff planned! **

**So read and review! Thank you!**

_**Love,**_

_**Plain Is Prettiest!**_

**(At least According to Zach and I) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Yeah, I am so sorry I don't update sooner! I started writing the chapter after I posted the first one but I just wasn't feeling it. **

**But then today, BAM! I started writing and couldn't stop. It's probably going to be like that from now on. There isn't really a date but whenever inspiration hits me! Anyway, on the story!**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Gallagher Girls or I Am Number Four plot. All rights reserved.**

* * *

"Hey, it's Daniel right?" A voice giggled.

Zach didn't even bother to turn around. He's been hearing that line all day and all he wanted was to get outside and see where Cammie was.

"Hey, I'm talking to you," someone grabbed his arm and he sighed, slowly turning around to be face to face with a tall blonde girl that was almost his height (which saying is _really_ tall).

He forced a smile. "Hey, sorry. Didn't hear you. It's pretty crowded here."

She smiled back. Zach noticed she had a very beautiful smile. Most of the girl's here did.

But then he looked away, an uncomfortable feeling forming in his felt like he shouldn't be thinking about other girl's smiles, like he was deceiving Cammie in some way, which was ludicrous because he just met the girl and for all he knew she was just talking to him for the sake of politeness.

"Yeah, I bet it's pretty scarce in Virginia isn't it?"

He brought his attention back to her and smirked, not bothering to tell her that sentence didn't really make any sense but understood what she was trying to say. "Yeah, something like that."

"I bet your liking Angeles better aren't you?" She asked with a fond smile. "I mean who wouldn't? This is like everyone's dream destination. I'm Liz by the way."

"Nice to meet you Liz."

She grinned. "Hey, listen so there's going to be a cookout at the beach tonight. With a bonfire and all that. Just the seniors. You know how it is, gotta live it up before we hit the real world right?"

"Totally," Zach agreed.

"So what do you say? You game?"

"Sure I'll be there," Zach agreed again, craning his neck to get a glimpse of a blonde-headed girl only to find that she had a mousy face.

Liz giggled again. "I mean with _me_, silly. Do you want to be my date?"

"Wait, what?" Zach snapped his attention back to her. Liz had an amused smile on her lips. "Be my date for the cookout?" She asked raising a perfect eyebrow.

Zach wondered if Cammie had a date. But then again, why wouldn't she? She was absolutely beautiful. Come to think of it, she probably had a boyfriend instead.

"Uh sure." He cleared his throat. For some weird reason she had the weirdest effect on him. But not in a good way, like Cammie does. It was…creepy in a sense. Zach couldn't really pinpoint what it was. He'd ask Joe later. "Yeah, I'd like that."

Liz smiled her epic smile again. It was starting to intoxicate him. "I'd like that too." She grabbed his arm, scrawling something with a pink gel pen. When Zach looked again he saw it was seven numbers, glittering pink prominent against his creamy skin.

"Call me sometime," She winked before gliding towards the doors.

People watched him as he also joined the crowd. That was normal, being the new kid and all and he hadn't realized the real reason was until the boy beside him clapped his back saying, "Congrats man. First with Macey McHenry and now Liz Sutton. You're on a roll."

Zach frowned at him. "What?"

He pointed to his arm. "Getting the cheerleader captain's number? Guys would give an arm and leg for that."

"Oh," Zach glanced down. "And Macey?"

The boy shrugged. "She's a smoking babe, but a total slut. She just wants a good time. But Liz Sutton…" he trailed off shaking his head with amazement.

Zach walked outside in a daze. So this Liz Sutton was a real something. Not good.

He couldn't believe himself. He had no idea why he just agreed to that. Joe had warned him not to attract attention which he's usually pretty good at but coming to Los Angeles had totally changed his morals of life for some bizarre reason. Now he's doing the complete opposite of what he was supposed to be doing.

Zach sighed, scanning the vivid green yard for Liz, to tell her he had to cancel plans.

But instead, a certain angelic beauty caught his eye. He grinned against his will and started heading over to where she was leaned against a tree, listening to music and sketching something in a notepad.

Zach was surprised she was all alone. He had thought a girl like her would be surrounded by admirers. Although some people waved or said hi, nobody stopped for a much longer chat.

He was almost there when another figure intercepted him and he was met by vibrant blue eyes practically crackling with electricity.  
"Macey, hey," Zach managed before she threw her hands up and started screaming at him.

"You bastard! I can't fucking believe this! After all we've done together, after how much we've connected, you-you…ugh you're such an asshole!"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Macey. Calm down. What's going on?" He asked catching her by the shoulders.

Macey gave a glare so cold, it could freeze hell over. "You know. Going to the cookout with _Elizabeth Sutton_," she said her name like poison.

Zach almost laughed out loud. This is what it was all about?

"Look Macey, it's just a cookout. Nothing big is happening. And anyway, it's not like we're dating or anything that I can't go out with other girls." He was a little confused. Wasn't she the slut? Why is she even caring?

Macey looked disgusted. "She wants to hook up with you, idiot! That's what Skanky-Beth Sutton does!"  
She took a deep breath. "I thought we really meant something to each other. Yesterday, and today we were- I thought we really connected. I thought you would go to the cookout with _me_ and hook up with _me._"

Zach swallowed, torn between remorse and amusement.  
How could he ever connect with a mere mortal? Joe said that his race only truly and fully loved an Eloric. Not that there were many Eloric women to choose from, so Zach just had to wait.  
These mortals were just…well time pass no matter how vain that sounds. Because Zach was a teenager, and like everything else about his body, he also had a lot more testosterone than an average guy.

"Macey, I thought you understood this. That it was really, a _one-time thing_," Zach said in a low voice.  
In fact, he specifically picked a girl as seductive and coquettish as her because he knew girls like that wouldn't attach any strings. Apparently, he was wrong.

The stunning girl in front of him mouth dropped open. "YOU ASSHOLE!" She screamed punching his gut before storming away.

Zach just stood there, dumfounded. It wasn't as though she had hurt him, he was quite literally made-of-steel but he didn't know what the hell was going on and how the hell this had happened in the first place.

Everyone had stopped what they were doing and watched the whole exchange, even after Macey had tromped off. So much for trying to blend in.

Zach turned his gaze back on the girl under the tree just a few yards away. She was watching too obviously, and when they're eyes connected Zach swore he felt a jolt of electric pass between them.  
To his surprise, she patted the grass next to her, inviting him to come sit, her kaleidoscopic eyes never breaking away from his.

He crossed the distance between them without hesitation, settling beside her.

"Well that was interesting," Cammie said after a moment of silence.

"That's one word for it," Zach agreed.  
She turned her head to look at him and Zach was again, struck by how beautiful she was. Sure, a lot of girls had blonde hair, tanned skin and hazel eyes but not like Cammie's.  
What she had was a very different kind of beauty, unlike Macey's or Liz's or anyone's in the school.  
He couldn't really explain it. All he knew that it was a very unique, exotic and one-of-a-kind type of splendor.

"Was it really a one-time thing for you? Or did you just say that so Macey wouldn't know your true feelings for her?"

Zach's eyebrows raised until they were hidden under his floppy hair. "What makes you think that?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. You honestly don't look like the type to actually stay with one girl so I'm not actually surprised. You look like Macey's type," Cammie observed.

"From what I heard, Macey doesn't have a type," Zach said ignoring her previous ludicrous comment. Pft, not staying with one girl? He's never even had a girl!

"I heard she's a slut who just likes to have fun."

"Not true!" Cammie exclaimed, sitting up to defend her friend. "You don't even know her; you have no right to say that!"

Zach didn't like it when Cammie was angry. Although she looked uber cute while at it, he wouldn't be able to handle it if _she_ walked away screaming 'asshole'.

"Yeah, your right I'm sorry," Zach quickly apologized. He wasn't actually that good with talking to people resulting to saying the wrong things like such.

Cammie sank back to her seat warily. "Me too," she said with a soft smile. "I didn't mean to snap." Zach just smiled back.

"So you're _really_ going to the cookout with Elizabeth Sutton?" She hadn't said it in a mean way like Macey had, but there was still hidden hostility in her voice. Zach wondered what Liz had done to make the girls so angry.

"Yeah. Did something happen between you guys?"

"We have history," Cammie admitted.

"But she seems nice. She _was_ really nice," Zach remembered.

"Oh yeah she can be the sweetheart,"Cammie replied a little bitterly.

Zach was surprised to hear that sharp edge in her normally soft voice. "Are you mad at me for going with her?" He wondered worriedly.

Her face broke into an amused smile. "No. Why would I be? It's your choice."

"Oh. Yeah. Of course," he replied faintly, feeling stupid for asking that. Sure he was hoping she would be jealous but that's absurd. He was pretty sure she didn't like him the same way he did.  
Hell, it was his first day here and he was already madly in love.

Yeah you read right, _love_.  
Zach blamed stupid Eloric emotions that were much stronger than human ones. Humans wouldn't be able to cope with all heaps of sensations and sentiments. It would crush them like the Greek myth of Atlas holding up the sky.

"Who are you going with?" He asked curiously.

Cammie's face flushed. "I don't know. I probably won't go. I mean, there's a massive history test tomorrow…" she duck her head down, her hair covering her red face like a shiny gold curtain.

"Oh." Zach hadn't meant to embarrass her. He just assumed she'd be going. He wondered why a girl so friendly and beautiful wasn't like, a social butterfly. But that was being stereotypical, in a way he guessed.

"Do you draw?" Zach asked, quickly changing the subject. Cammie smiled at him gratefully and his heart flew like a humming bird's wings.

"Yes. I like painting better but I just sketch stuff at school for inspiration and then put it on canvas at home," she replied.

"Can I see some of your sketches?" Zach asked, his eyes sparking with interest. He reached for the worn out, sticker and doodle-covered notepad at her feet.

"No!" Cammie yelled suddenly, snatching it away and tucking it on her other side. "Sorry, it's sort of-private," she explained sheepishly at his baffled expression.

"No, it's alright," Zach amended, his face smoothing out.

There was another beat of silence, but it wasn't awkward. Just heavy in a way, like there was so much words between them that it was weighing the air down.

"When you said I looked like Macey's type," Zach began a little nervously. "What's your type?"

"Hmm," Cammie tilted her head thinking about it. "Someone, sweet I guess. Charming, silly, intelligent. Someone a bit shy when we're alone. I have a thing for blue eyes too."

At this, Cammie wanted to eat her words. She realized she has described Josh perfectly. She realized she's been thinking of his shimmering light blue eyes as soon as Zach had asked that. She realized she really needed to get over him.

Zach shifted uncomfortably, trying not to let his disappointment and sadness to seep through.

He didn't know how to be sweet because he never had a girlfriend.

Was he charming? Probably not.

Silly? Um no. He had more of a cocky humor.

Intelligent? His grades weren't that great if that's what Cammie had meant…

Shy? Yeah, hell to the no.

And blue eyes? Zach had been proud of his rich, vivid green eyes that were as brilliant as emeralds, people had told him, but now he couldn't help but wish for blue orbs instead.  
Why hadn't he inherited his father's blue eyes instead of his mother's green ones?

But of course there was no use for the _what should've been_. All Zach could do was hide his despair in his _green_ eyes and mentally undo the strings he had felt for Cammie.

If she had liked him, she would've said all _his_ characteristics. Maybe he should just try to rekindle with Macey who was apparently "his type."

"Cool," Zach said bluntly. "Uh, I gotta go. See you around Cammie." He got up and left in a flash, leaving a confused and perplexed Cammie in his wake.

Later that day Zach walked home like a black cloud was hovering above him like they do in movies.  
He had tried to act cheerful the rest of the day because he was now a popular face in the crowd, thanks to Liz but with all of them gone, his features sagged.

Aforementioned earlier, Elorics feel things stronger. Which sucks because he was feeling the rejection and heartbreak like a hurricane of boulders.

The clouds were circling above him for a while now, the air damp and as expected, rain started to platter slow at first but then getting faster and harder.

_Wonderful_, Zach thought sarcastically. The effect went with his mood very nicely.

But then he stopped dead in his tracks. The hairs on his neck was standing on end which could've been the cold raindrops seeping through his skin but Zach suspected something else. A sick feeling was brewing in his stomach.

The wind howled and the hood of his coat blew back, his hair immediately soaking through.  
Zach whirled around, doing a three sixty and analyzing the environment around him. He looked utterly alone but why did he have that creepy feeling someone was watching him?

_Zach._

He turned at the sound of his name. Nothing was there. The rain hid everything around him but no one was around anyway. No one knew his real name as well.

_Zachary_ _Jared Goode. The Avenger hmm? Wow, he's pretty hot._

"What?" Zach spat. "Is anyone there?" He called into the howling wind and freezing rain. Was he making all this up? Who was this voice and where is it coming from?

_How am I supposed to see him? How can I warn him?_

"Warn me about what?" Zach shouted. "Who are you?!"

Then he realized. It was echoed. It reflected off the sound of pitter patters of the rain. It was in his head.  
Zach shook his head and rubbed his nose hard. He doubted he was going crazy. Maybe Joe knew what was going on.

Zach pulled his hood up and practically sprinted home. He ran with all his superhuman strength and if someone had been watching they would've thought he appeared out of nowhere.

Thankfully the strange voice disappeared as he ran as well.

* * *

**Well what do you think? Yes, Liz is very OOC here but I didn't want to do something predictable. Who do you think the voice is and how Zach is hearing it? Can't wait to hear (or read) your reviews!**

**Love,**

**Plain Is Prettiest!  
****(At least to Zach Goode and I)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hey guys! I would like to thank:  
- Uknowiloveu  
- Zach-Goode's-Girl xxx  
- Annie**  
**- Whistling in the dark**  
**- When4EVERends**  
**- i spy a thief xo**

**Thank you for reviewing Chapter 2! This one is for you! And also thank you whoever reviewed Chapter 1 as well, didn't forget you guys!  
I'm going to start dedicating the following chapters to the people who reviewed the previous one, so yeah.**

**Disclaimer : I don't own Gallagher Girls characters or I Am Number Four plot**

**Anyway, enough of my blabbering!**

* * *

"Joe I-I can't," Zach panted, perspiration dripping from his forehead and matting his hair. Irritably, he pushed his bangs out of his eyes, making a mental note to cut his hair. All it did was get in the way.

"Come on Zach, you're stronger than that. What if I was a Cavan? What if it had a weapon and you didn't? What if I wasn't there to protect you? You going to let them kill you?  
The same Martians who ended our race? Who destroyed our planet? Who murdered your parents? You remember that? You were only a baby then, watching them stab your father. You going to let them do that to you?" Joe taunted.

He was provoking a reaction- Zach knew it. He felt a flare of anger so strong his vision molted blood red. Joe knew very well Zach had nightmares of that horrid witness every night. He had no right to bring that up.

But if Joe wanted to incite a response from Zach, it was working.

He felt his eyes roll back. He felt his fingers tremble. He felt the raw massive strength coursing inside him, struggling to be unleashed.

Zach was aware of his hands automatically stretching out in front of him and a sudden blast of wind with a mixture of igneous heat and voltage that had crackled within had knocked him off his feet.

Zach found himself falling 20…30 feet back and crashing against the jagged rocks, bringing down a small avalanche of rubble.

Groaning Zach slowly stood up and his eyes went wide at the sight of monstrous fire and dead lightning roaming around the spacious hollow cave like a mind of their own, prowling the solid walls for an escape.  
His Celostan was now where in sight.

"Joe? Joe!" Zach yelled, not believing the sight before his eyes. He was just about to charge into the chaos when all of a sudden a pebble hit him square on the forehead.

"Ow!" Zach exclaimed, rubbing his forehead. He turned around and did a double take at the sight of Joe sitting on a fissure of a chiseled boulder stuck on the wall, high enough to be out of the flames reach.

"Nice job Zach!" He yelled, grinning like a maniac. "I knew you could do it!"

Zach turned around to stare in horror at the destruction in front of him. He had actually done this?

"Stop this Joe! It's getting worse!"

But all Joe did was throw his head back and laugh. "Me? My dear Zachary, don't you know what humans say? You made the mess, you have to clean it."

"But how?" Zach yelled.

"Concentrate."

_Easy for you to say_ Zach grumbled. Joe was safely tucked away while here he was in the middle of what could be mass destruction. How the hell was he supposed to _concentrate?_

"Don't worry Zach!" Joe yelled. "It can't hurt you!"

_Can't?_ Zach thought, a grin spreading on his face. That was a convenient.

He shut his eyes, relinquishing the wind and fire inside of him.

He thought about trapping it inside a cage. Or sucking it into a portal.

There was a tugging in his gut and again a howling gust blew his hair back but when he opened his eyes again, it was gone. The only evidence that had occurred was the burned ashes and rubble and the demolished roof of the cavern.  
Zach sighed with relief and collapsed to the ground, every ounce of energy drained from his body.

Joe jumped down gracefully, his combat boots sending gravel everywhere. He clapped Zach on the back with a proud look in his eyes. They both turned to watch the enchanted cavern mend itself, totally speechless at what Zach had done.

"How-what -" Zach began.

"Your asset has come," Joe explained. "I told you about them."

"The Legacy right?"

Joe nodded. "Your gift is very powerful Zach. Most assets are small when they first come. But yours was very powerful the first time and it will become stronger as it goes. It could be a little hard to control but if we give it more practice, it'll become easier for you to handle.  
When you're a rooky, it comes by emotions like anger for instance. This is a very critical stage for you Zach." Joe shook his head in wonder. "I've only seen a few of these but they weren't as powerful as yours. I'm not sure if I even remember the name."

"Avenger," Zach breathed, remembering the strange voice.

Joe's eyebrows knit together. "Yes…" He said suspiciously. "How did you know that?"

Zach opened his mouth to tell him about the voice in his head when all of a sudden his phone came alive with a tune he hadn't bothered to change.

Joe frowned as Zach bounded over to his abandoned hoodie and dug the pockets for his phone. It was a number he didn't recognize. Well, that's probably because the only number he had was Joe's.

Zach was immediately suspicious. "Hello?" He said warily.

"Why didn't you call me?" A high pitched voice rang.

Zach frowned. "_Liz?"_

She giggled. "Who _else_ silly! Unless you were expecting someone else. Were you expecting someone else Danny?"

Zach found himself annoyed. This chick was already acting like his girlfriend. "N-no of course not. And it's _Daniel. _While we're on that, how the hell did you get my number?"

She giggled again. "I have my ways," she said slyly.

Zach frowned not in the mood for playing games. If she could get it that easily than the Circle could too. It was supposed to untraceable.

"_Liz_."

She sighed. "Okay, okay. I hacked into the Apple mainframe and got it."

Zach's jaw dropped. "You?_ Hacked?_"

"Oh shut up! Just something a picked up from an ex okay?" It was obvious Liz was scowling. "Anyway, pick me up in half an hour! I texted you my address!"

_If she texted the address then why did she have to call?_ Zach thought, annoyed. He sort of regretted agreeing to go with Liz. Was it too late to feign sick?

"Alright see you soon."

"See ya Danny!" She made a loud smooch sound and Zach pulled the phone away from his ear, grimacing. "It's Daniel," he muttered.

"So I see you're giving people your number," Joe stated, his voice indicating that he was cross.

He shook his head. "She hacked into the mainframe."

Joe eyebrows rose. "She? _She_ sounds desperate."

Zach just shrugged. "I have to meet her in twenty minutes. She invited me to a cookout. I better go shower."

"Hold on Zach," Joe walked over to where Zach had halted in his tracks.

"I don't feel comfortable sending you out," he said standing in front of Zach and crossing his arms sternly. "You just got your asset. It's unpredictable, especially your power. Even the slightest change of emotion can trigger an avalanche of annihilation."

"Joe, I know. I'll be careful, I promise. I'm Goode at this. I stopped it pretty quickly remember? And I can't cancel at the last minute. I'll text you. Bye!" Zach sprinted off, faster than a bullet before Joe could reply. He didn't know why he actually wanted to go since he wasn't that fond of Liz anymore.

He should be happy to have an excuse to stay since Cammie wasn't even going. But there was something strange about Elizabeth Sutton that intrigued him. She didn't seem like a typical popular, air-headed blonde.

Joe watched his disappear in what seemed like thin air, sighing and shaking his head.

* * *

_Join me for a swim?_

_Meet me at the lake behind the shack_

_-Liz_

Zach stared at his phone, contemplating whether or not if he should go. They had arrived half an hour ago with the beach party in full swing.

There was a big bonfire with loud music blaring from a portable DJ booth. Some guy's dad owned the beach shack and he had reopened it, serving beer and whatnot. Someone had set up lights and glow in the dark teepees and such.

Seniors were everywhere from dancing in a tight pack on the beach, sitting around the bonfire and chilling, fooling around in the water, or just past out drunk at the shack.

Zach wondered how long it would take for the police to show up. It can't be legal. He asked a guy named Sam about this.

Sam threw his head back and laughed, the bottle in his hand wavering unevenly and sloshing on the sand.  
"Chill out dude. See that guy right there?" He was pointing to a palm tree.

Zach deduced he meant to be pointing to the log where a tall, lanky guy was wedged between four girls, all of them cooing and feeling him up. "That's Preston Winters. _The_ Preston Winters. Any police show up and _they're_ the ones going to jail!" He laughed loudly again and got up to join the dancing crowd.

Zach studied Preston again. He didn't look all that. He was all skin and bones, with untamed curly hair and pressed button down shirt and khakis.

Well, Zach assumed it was pressed but now it was all wrinkled by those girls flanking him. He was good-looking either. Probably just because of his fame and wealth they were all rah-rah about him.

He had also spotted Macey McHenry . Well, briefly. When they walked in, she was dancing with some guy and the next thing you knew they disappeared and people were saying she was getting it on with the guy between the sand dunes.

Whatever.

There was another guy too. He had dark wavy hair and clear blue eyes with a footballer build. Zach hadn't seen him before but everyone else seemed very familiar with him.

As if sensing his gaze, the boy turned away from the goofing jocks and seductive cheerleaders and stared back at Zach, giving a small knowing nod like in movies.

_Creep._

Rolling his eyes, he turned away stuffing his hands in his pockets and made his way towards the back of the beach shack, deciding to meet Liz.

He couldn't stand being here a second longer. Definitely not his scene.

The lake was beautiful. Secluded, peaceful and quiet with the moonlight glinting off the small serene waves it was definitely romantic. But Liz was nowhere in sight.

Maybe she got bored and went back to the party. Shrugging Zach turned away, starting to head back when he heard it.

_Zach_.

That strange voice again! He whirled around, surveying the scenery around him. No one was there. Suddenly tranquil place looked really creepy. The voice was a nice touch to the effect.

_Be careful Zach. Don't trust anyone._

"What?" Zach whispered to himself. He swallowed hard, feeling sick. This was getting out of hand.

And then suddenly, there was a figure. It was a feminine figure, Zach could tell by her curvy shape. He couldn't see any features, just her dark silhouette. Water was dripping from her hair.

"Liz?" Zach called taking a step forward.

He didn't need to get any farther because she came closer, the moonlight and beams hitting her face so he could visibly see…Cammie?

"C-C-" Zach couldn't even form her name as advanced towards him. He bit his tongue from screaming as he realized that it was not water dripping from her hair, but blood.

Dried blood was matted across her face, her teeth oozing with gore and her dirt-caked hand was holding a razor blade shaped in a crescent. It was hundred times deadlier than a weapon ever made in mankind. Zach gazed at the Circle symbol glowing blue on the dagger and nausea overwhelmed him, falling into the sand.

He couldn't believe it. _Cammie_. The innocent soft-voiced blonde haired, blue eyes angelic beauty was a _Circle_.

His lips trembled as she stalked towards him, aiming the dagger straight to his heart _no, no, no!__ Please! Not Cammie!_

Zach scrambled backwards on his hands and knees, trying to summon is powers or his telekinesis but all he could think about was Cammie's beautiful smile, white teeth glistening _just_ this morning.  
Her tanned skin glowing in the sun, her blond hair spurring pure gold.

She was _so good. So nice_. The first girl Zach fell head over heels for. That seemed like a cruel joke now. He had literally fallen and was now useless on the ground, waiting to be killed by the girl he loved.

_Don't trust anyone_. The voice had said. It had spoken the truth.

Zach knew he should be doing something, anything. Millions of Elorics risked their lives, _Joe _risked his life to make sure Zach was alive and now this is how it was going to end. But he couldn't bring himself to do anything.

He felt chained to the floor, just by gazing into her lush copper eyes.  
The only way to kill a Circle member was to chop their head clean off. Zach couldn't do that._ Wouldn't _be able to do that. He couldn't hurt Cammie even if his life was depending on it. Which it was.

But still Zach couldn't move. He stayed paralyzed against the sand, knowing he looked like a cowering kitten, knowing he looked pathetic, knowing he was so much stronger than that.

Cammie was now a few yards away from him. Zach swallowed the bile in his throat and awaited his death.

Unexpectedly; her image flickered like a bad signal. And then, just like... that she was gone.

Zach was taken aback. He looked around wildly but it was just the same as a few moments ago, no trace of Cammie ever being there.

"What…the…fuck?"

Taking short, quick breaths Zach slowly stood up, his legs feeling like jelly. Sweat trickled down his back but Goosebumps covered his arms. Zach has seen a lot, but nothing scared the crap out of him like that.

He shuddered violently, remembering the blood gushing from Cammie's mouth and knew another nightmare had been added to his ever-growing list.

But why had she stopped? Why had her image flickered? Does that mean…she hadn't been there? Zach wondered hopefully. But that would mean he was going crazy, which wasn't a much better thought.

With wobbly legs, Zach made his way back to the party. Nothing looked different. They all looked like they were having fun.

Zach envied them. Humans were so carefree, so lively with nothing to worry about. They took all this for granted while Elorics fought for their lives every day. And when the time comes, if the Circle takes over Earth, than it'll _still_ have to be Elorics who saved their puny little asses.

Ugh.

"Dan-ny!" Liz called, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him to the dancing crowd. "I've been looking _everywhere_ for you!" She started throwing her hands up and bopping to the beat with people tightly packed, bumping against each other.

"Come _on_ Danny! Dance!" She frowned at him. "God, you're sweating like a pig."

Zach turned and starting pushing his way out, using a _bit _too much force. People were flying into others with hard impact but Zach didn't have the strength to _control_ it right now.

"_Dude what's his problem?"_

"_What a freak!"_

"_A really sexy freak though!"_

The perk of having superhuman hearing is that you can turn it off completely, like a hearing aid on a deaf person. Zach tuned everyone out like pressing a mute button and stumbled off the beach.

He wasn't in the mood to go back home, so Zach headed to town feeling himself slowly turn back to normalcy.

The Goosebumps and disappeared as did the sweat and his heart wasn't racing frantically anymore. His legs were gaining strength and his breath had evened out.

But that all got thrown to hell when he pushed open the door to a café in Beverly Hills, his eyes landing on a person that made his body freeze and burn.

"_Cammie?"_

* * *

**Wow! This chapter was intense! I surprised even myself!**

**See I didn't plan this story out like I usually do, so I'm winging each chapter, just letting my mind go with the flow and my hands automatically type. **

**How do you like it? What do you think actually happened back there? I'd love to hear you theories! I would like at least 10 reviews guys! I know you can do it!**

**Love  
Plain is Prettiest!  
(At least to Zach Goode and I) **


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey guys! THANKS SO MUCH FOR REVIEWS! I got ten exactly, although I was hoping to get more…oh well who am I to complain?  
I LOVE YOU GUYS! Shout outs to:  
- truesoul 10 - Don't panic! All is good in the world. Or shall I say Goode? :)  
**

**-i spy a thief xo - I know it's a little confusing. This chapter will either confuse you more or clear tings up, I really dont know. But everything will make sense soon!  
**

**- xxbballluvrxx3 - Mhmm, I like your theory but read on and see what really happens!  
**

**- elllll97 - Lol I litterally counted the amount of L's you have, hope I got it right. And thank you! :)  
**

**- Annie - OMG! You are not a stalker at all! Actually, you have put the biggest smile on my face. Thank you for reading my stories!  
**

**- when4EVERends - Love your username :) THANK YOU SO MUCH! Your too kind, not that I'm complaining ;)  
**

**- Whistling in the dark - Thank you! That was actually the reaction I was hoping for :)  
**

**- Gg01 - Your theory is close! Well, one of your theories, I'm not telling which one. Thanks for reviewing!  
**

**- Uknowiloveu - Urgh! Your are actually...well should I tell you? Very, very close. Great guessing! Uknowiloveu2 ;)  
**

**- Zach-Goode's-Girl xxx - First of all, why do you get to have him? :) YES! Dead on! Thank you so much for reading!  
**

**Anyway, enough of my blabbering. Sorry and on to the story!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own the characters or the idea of the plot. All rights reserved.**

* * *

Zach's fingers couldn't help but tremble as he stared at her. He felt his inner power stir, struggling to outflow. Zach took deep breaths, trying to control it but right now he was freaked out so much, any attempt was futile.

There she was just _sitting_ there, sipping a latte and typing something on a sticker-covered laptop. No sign of blood, no matted hair; Cammie looked like her usual beautiful self.  
As if sensing his gaze, she looked up, her lush copper pupils meeting his and Zach felt like a boulder has slammed into him. She radiated _innocence_, her eyes big and wide like a kitten or an infant.

But Zach wasn't crazy. He had photographic memory and distinctly remembered it was _Cammie _who had tried to kill him. But that didn't make any sense. Joe would know if a Circle was here. They would've left right away.  
Zach's head was spinning faster than even his advanced mind could comprehend. He just didn't know what to do. Other than to get the hell out of here.

Zach's back hit against the door, only to bump into a late 20's guy with a two-day unshaven face. "Watch it," the guy grumbled.

"S-sorry," Zach stuttered, almost tripping over his own feet in his haste to get outside.

"Daniel!" He heard Cammie call. Her voice made his heart race and convulse at the same time.

"Daniel, wait up!"

But Zach was already sprinting away. He went down a dark, shady alleyway, knowing there was no way Cammie would go there in the pitch black night.

He was wrong.

He thought he had lost her and slowed down to a stop, coming out of the alley to an even shadier neighborhood. It was sort of funny in a way. Coming from the glamorous Beverly Hills to a ghetto district, only separated by a couple of walls.

Zach slowed down to a stop and was about to continue walking when he heard it. Very faintly, he heard distant cries. It sounded feminine. And then, a scream.

"Shit," Zach whispered to himself before turning around and plunging back into the obscurity. "Cammie!" He yelled.

"Dan-" he heard her scream before the sound of a gag cut her off. His strident ears picked up the sound of a body hitting the ground and being dragged away, slurred male voices following.

Zach teared down the alley at lightning speed, horrified to see Cammie's limp body being carried by an obviously intoxicated guy who looked apart of a gang and a few years older than him. The guy was flanked by six other equally shady-looking punks.

"Get the hell away from her," Zach hissed, glaring at the boys so cold it could freeze your ears.

"Well look what we have here," one of them said, with black greasy hair and a malicious grin. "The pretty girl's boyfriend. He came here all by himself too. Takes guts man."

"I like his shoes," one of the boy' said. "Don't know what brand it is, but looks expensive. Man, I would love to have that."

"He's a rich boy. See what he's got," the black haired boy said, seeming to be their leader. Four of them advanced and Zach watched them with a cocky grin on his face. "I wouldn't do that if I were you," he warned.

"What are you going to do? It's seven of us, against you, and we've got this," the guy took out a switchblade from his pocket and his gang followed in suit like that was supposed to scare him.  
Zach rolled his eyes. "You're going to regret this."

And then he sprung so quickly, their human eyes couldn't adjust. It was just a blur of white and the next thing they knew, Zach was standing there smirking while those four guys were unconscious, piled against each other on the wall.

He raised an eyebrow at the others with a dangerous glint in his eyes and the other two, dropped Cammie and ran the opposite direction.

Zach winced as her body hit the pavement before looking up and being met by a gun.

"Don't even think about moving," the black-haired punk warned, but his voice quivered. "What-what are you?"

His smirk widened and that nearly made the boy's knees fail. He could look real daunting when he wanted too.

"You won't remember a thing in the morning," Zach promised before swiftly crossing the distance between them and giving him a good sock in the face. The guy's eyes rolled back at the impact and he collapsed to the ground was well.

Zach hurried over to where Cammie was laying. She groaned when he turned her over, making sure there weren't any injuries. Zach breathed a sigh of relief. Other than a small cut on her temple, he hadn't found any.

"Daniel?" Cammie whispered, fluttering her eyes open and gazing at him with vulnerable, frightened large eyes and at that moment Zach was sure she hadn't been the one at the beach. Yes, it looked exactly like Cammie, but there had to be another explanation.

If Cammie was a Circle or Eloric, she would've defended herself against those slimeballs. Of course, she could've also been _acting_ weak, to either test Zach or not give any suspicion but Zach knew that wasn't it either. It was an instinct; the feeling in his gut, the small voice in his head that told him Cammie was innocent.

"I'm right here Cam", he whispered. "You're safe."

Hearing that, Cammie sat up, whipping her head around frantically at the sight of the unconscious guys.

A broken gasp escaped her throat with her shoulders shaking and surprised Zach by throwing her arms around him.

"Thank you so much," Cammie whispered into his chest. "I was so scared. They-" she choked off.

"Hey it's alright," Zach whispered back, holding her tight against him and inhaling her floral scent. "I'm not going to let anyone hurt you."

He heard Cammie nod and sniffle, pulling back from the embrace and looking down, a blush creeping up her neck.

Zach smiled at her, a little adoringly and stood up, grasping her hand and pulling her up as well.  
"You shouldn't have been walking here at night Cammie," Zach reprimanded with a frown, realizing he sounded exactly like a protective father. He shuddered to think about _that_.

"In fact, you shouldn't be walking here at all. Especially _alone._"

"I was following you!" Cammie protested. "You looked so upset when you saw me and I wanted to know what's wrong," her eyes softened and she reached out to touch his arm.

Zach's breath hitched. The skin under her fingertips tingled and shot straight through his veins, sparking his heart in the most extraordinary way. Just the faintest touch and every cell in Zach's body came alive.

"So, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Zach found himself not being able to speak coherently. He swallowed hard and nodded stupidly. "Yeah-yeah I'm totally fine."

"It didn't look like that," Cammie replied raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"It's just- I just -" His eyes flitted up and down the alley a little desperately. "Let's not talk here," he gestured to the graffiti and filthy walls.

"Oh." Cammie looked like she just realized they were standing in a dark dangerous alleyway. "Oh yeah. Right."

"What about them?" She asked nodding at the lifeless boys. She swung her gaze back on him. "How did you beat the crap out of them all by yourself?"

Zach shrugged. "I have a superpower," he said smirking.

Cammie rolled her eyes. "Oh right those amazing muscles, I forgot."

His smirk widened. "I knew you liked it."

"No! I just meant…well…ugh whatever."

* * *

"So here we are," Cammie announced, halting to a stop.

"Wow," Zach surveyed the scenery around him. "This…sure is something."

They were at a small secluded garden of a sort, nestled in a forest. It was almost magical, with a sparkling lake and water lilies floating about. Rocks were pushed up at the side like almost a diving area, or a place to sit.  
Flowers and exotic leaves were cushioned everywhere, leaving almost no space to move but left a cozy feeling. Fireflies and dragonflies flutter around, the scent hyacinths and hibiscus filled the air.  
It was _really, really_ nice.

Cammie gave an endearing shy smile. "My dad found it for me. Used to be a yucky, murky place. He fixed it up, planted the flowers, took care of the vegetation, cleared the area. And then he showed me it, on my birthday. It used to be my secret hideout. Well, _our_ secret hideout."

"It seems very special. Like in the air. I'm getting this vibe," Zach rubbed his arms, feeling Goosebumps.  
But it wasn't cold. It was actually very snug and comfy. You know how it's a winter day but the heater was on and the window was shut so the room was warm. You snuggle in your covers and the heat seeps into your skin and it's just the best feeling ever? Yeah, that's how he felt.

Zach was pretty sure that the Goosebumps were for the fact he was finally alone with Cammie in what seemed like a _very_ good make out spot.

Cammie cracked a smile and sat down on a rock, belling her pretty white sundress out and dangling her smooth tanned legs over. "You're such a dork." She patted the seat next to her. "Come sit. We can talk here."  
Zach complied obediently.

"So…tell me what happened tonight," Cammie said, looking at him expectantly.

He sighed and looked at his hands. "I just had a…bad time at the party. It's not really my scene."

Her eyebrows shot up. "Not your scene? Jeez, I expected you to be one of those people making out in the water or something."

Zach laughed lightly. "Well, people aren't always what they seem like."

Cammie nodded slightly, looking deep in thought. "You had a bad time at the party? What, did Liz ditch you are something? Or is she just not that fun to hang with if there's no kissing involved?"

Zach shot her a weird look and Cammie flushed. "I-I didn't mean that. I just meant-"

"No, it's cool. I'm not that into her anyway. Are you going to tell me what happened between you and her and Macey?"

Cammie pursed her lips, gazing at lake. "I-I can't tell you. It's a secret that's-" she choked off. "Pretty serious."

Zach nodded slowly.

"Liz isn't a bad person," Cammie added quickly. "Quite the opposite. We were friends. Best friends. The trio, people called us."

"Until?"

She took a deep breath. "Until freshman year. Macey, well you know what the rumors are about her. She's a slut. But it wasn't always like that," Zach noticed Cammie twisting her fingers together and he leaned closer, intrigued.

"She-she and Liz…were more than friends."

Zach was unable to contain his gasp. That was-well, Zach was totally prepared for a dozen different scenarios and _that_ was not one of them.

Cammie glanced up at him with narrowed- eyes and he starting backtracking. "Sorry! I didn't mean to do that, just caught by surprise. I'm totally cool with that. I had a best friend who was a lesbian," Zach lied.

She smiled at him before taking another breath.  
"So… the thing is, apparently they kissed once. When Macey tried to make a move again, Liz told her she doesn't like her that way. That it was a meaningless kiss. That she was just 'practicing' for guys."

"Wow," Zach breathed.

Cammie nodded somberly. "I know. Mace was heartbroken. Well, she channeled that distraught by anger. She blew up, started screaming at Liz and then I think she said something offensive because Liz punched her. It turned into a full fist-fight and slamming into lockers until the teachers finally came.  
Liz is a good person, because she never told anyone about Macey being a lesbian. She said the fight was over a guy. But Macey still hates her." She shook her head. "No, not hate. Macey's still hung up over Liz but she'll never admit it. She even moved for a year, to get 'closure'."

"But Macey…she hooks up with so many guys…"Zach trailed off.

Cammie nodded. "I think she's either hiding who she really is or is bi. I don't know. We never talk about it." Suddenly, she grabbed his hand, unleashing her enticing eyes on him with full force.  
"Daniel, you have to swear to me that you won't tell this to anyone. We promised we would never repeat this but I trust you and I would be broken if you spread it around. Swear to me Daniel."

But Zach couldn't form words even if he wanted to. His normally razor-sharp brained was going in slow-motion as Cammie's face was _so_ close to his. The scent of her floral perfume and strawberry lip gloss was starting to intoxicate him.

"I-I swear," he managed.

Cammie smiled and relaxed her grip on his hand. "Thank you. I believe you'll keep it." She glanced down at their intertwined fingers which none of them had been willing to let go and blushed.  
"I never told that to anyone. You-you're so different. I can't stop my mouth from blurting things out and my head can't form a single coherent thought." She slapped her other hand over her mouth. "I wasn't supposed to tell you that."

Zach tipped his head back and laughed genuinely, a delicious sound of melodic bass. "I can't blame you, I have that effect on women," he said winking.

Cammie playfully smacked his arm. "You're such an ass," she said smiling.

Zach grinned back and a beat of awkward silence passed between them, as they stared at each other, eyes flitting to each other's lips as they felt the desire overwhelm them like a massive wave of the ocean.

Attentively, Zach cupped a hand over Cammie's face and whispered, "Just so you know, I'm going to kiss you now."

Cammie breathed in sharply but didn't stop him. Zach took this as a Goode sign and leaned in, lacing the other hand through her silky hair. Cammie's eyes fluttered close.

He was _so_ close to her.

So close he could feel her warm breath against his face.

So close he could hear her heartbeat racing a mile a minute.

So close he could practically _taste_ her strawberry lips gloss.

His mouth almost started to water with anticipation.

And then… the phone rang.

* * *

**Oh crap. Totally ruined the moment huh? What did you think of the Cammie/Liz/Macey situation? Close to your theories or completely took you by surprise? I hope the latter!  
Anyway, there was some Zammie, and there's a lot more to come! What do you think? I'd love to read your reviews!**

**Love  
Plain Is Prettiest!  
(At least to Zach Goode and I)  
**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi! Thanks again for the reviews! You guys are A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! Love you so much!  
****So this is my dream cast for the Gallagher Girls. Search them up, I think they are really Good(e)  
****Especially Macey. I've found the perfect Macey!**

**Cammie Morgan – Ginny Gardner**

**Zach Goode – Colton Haynes**

**Liz Sutton – Annasophia Robb or Dakota Fanning. Your pick.**

**Macey McHenry – Merritt Patterson (She has black hair and beautiful blue eyes and is gorgeous! She's perfect!)  
Or Ashley Greene with black hair. But I like Merritt Patterson better for Macey!**

**Joe Soloman – Ian Harding**

**Bex Baxter – Shay Mitchell or Naomi Scott**

**Grant Newman– Spencer Boldman**

**Jonas Anderson– Adam DiMarco**

**Josh Abrams– Chris Brochu**

**WARNING! CONTAINS SWEARING! RATED T FOR TEENAGER! NO ONE UNDER THAT!**

* * *

"Shit, I'm so sorry!" Cammie exclaimed pulling away.

Zach bit his lip, hoping his disappointment wasn't too obvious and watched Cammie rummage through her bag. By then the ringing had stopped followed by continuous beeps.

Zach inwardly groaned. Of all the times, they had to pick _now_ for an emergency? The Fates must've thought he was undeserving today.

Cammie took one look at the screen and quickly stood up. "I'm so sorry Zach, but I gotta go home. It's-it's-" she glanced at her phone again. "Urgent."

Naturally, Zach was beyond curious to whom it might be that spoiled his soon-to-be perfect evening but didn't pry.

"I'll walk you home," he offered, standing up as well.

"You really don't-"

"You don't have a choice," Zach interrupted. He smiled. "I was just informing you that I'm not going to let you out of my sight again until your safe."

Cammie rolled her eyes but a blush was forming on her cheeks. "I can take care of myself."

After seeing the incredulous eyebrow raise from Zach, she quickly added, "I doubt anything like that will happen in a ten minute walk."

"So your house is close, great." Without waiting for a reply Zach's hand automatically reached for hers and pulled her along the trail, leading to civilization.

Cammie followed slightly behind him, glad he couldn't see the blood that had rushed to her face at the feel of Zach's perfectly smooth palm in hers.

She felt him squeeze her fingers gently and she tightened her grip on his hand, pleasuring the strong sparks shooting up her arm.

They didn't untwine their fingers from each other's until they reached Cammie's house, a well-groomed neighborhood with rich, freshly cut green grass and gaudy flower gardens leading up to pretty, yet modest homes.

"I had fun today Daniel," Cammie said as they stopped in front of her porch.

"Right, cause' getting kidnapped by a group of thugs is such a great time." Zach said sarcastically.

Cammie laughed and it sounded like a tinkling bell. "You know what I mean," she stepped a little closer. "I had fun with _you_."

Zach's breath hitched and his stomach felt like jelly. The way the porch lights were glowing Cammie's sunshine-hair and how it highlighted her eyes, it was as if they had turned to liquid _gold_. And it was all focused on him.

Zach wanted to kiss her more than ever before but he knew now wasn't the time. He preferred it to be a romantic time and place too. Like the garden back in the forest.

So he just smiled. "I did too. We should do it again sometime."

"Definitely."

She bit her lip as deciding something and then suddenly Cammie had her arms wrapped around his torso, head resting against his chest. Zach was shocked for about 1.2 seconds before wrapping his arms around her small, curvy frame as well. He liked the feel of her soft hair under his chin. It smelled good, some fruity tropical scent.

"Bye," Cammie whispered pulling away.

"Bye."

Zach watched her hurry up the steps. He lifted his hand to wave as she glanced at him again. Seeing Cammie smile at him was like a blind man seeing the sun for the first time.

Zach has never felt so invigorated, so elated, so _happy_.

He felt strength course through his limbs as he raced down the road, unable to slow down.

Even if he hadn't gotten his kiss, he had gotten farther than he had ever dreamed. Especially with an _mortal_.

Zach didn't care if it was considered absurd to Elorics. They weren't in Eloria anymore and Zach was in love.

* * *

"So how was it?"

"Hmmm?" Zach asked, scooping spoonful after spoonful of sugar into his cereal. He didn't even know he was doing it; it was like his arm was robotic.

Zach was still thinking of last night, how unbelievably angelic Cammie looked in the moonlight, how close he was to her, how he almost _kissed_ her.

He couldn't even sleep that night; hence the large amount of adrenaline-food a.k.a sugar.

"Zach!" Joe reached forward and wrapped his hand around Zach's as it was going for another spoonful. "I think that's enough sugar for your cereal."

He glanced down at his bowl, which had turned to look like the mini-version of Mount Everest and chuckled sheepishly. "Sorry."

"Indeed." Joe crossed his arms and leaned against the back of the chair, regarding him with an amused smile. "You had a good night yesterday huh?"

"Yeah," Zach said faintly, swirling his Honey Nut Cheerios around wand watching them sog under the weight of the milk. "It was fun."

Joe chuckled softly, shaking his head. "So I'm going to have to get it out of you huh?"

Zach glanced up at Joe, shoving cereal in his mouth. "What?"

Joe smirked looking almost identical to Zach. They both looked alike, with dark chocolate hair and startling green eyes.

Nobody ever questioned their father-son relationship because frankly, Zach looked a heck lot more like Joe than he did with his own father.

"When were you planning on telling me about the girl?"

Zach almost choked on his spoon. "What?" He repeated with disbelief.

"There has to be a reason for that ridiculous smile on your face. It's obviously a girl" Joe replied smirking triumphantly.

"How did- how did you know?"

"Why, don't you know that back in Eloria this attractive Celostan right here was quite the ladies man."

Zach rolled my eyes. He sure was, until he had met Abby, or so Joe told. And the only girl that had made him smile ridiculously _was_ Abby.

"Get outta here Joe."

He grinned. "Not until you tell me about her. Was she the one you went to the cookout with?"

He shuddered at _that_ comparison. "No I met her at a café. She goes to my school. Her name is Cammie Morgan," cue the ridiculous grin.  
_Geez _Zach grumbled to himself. _What has this girl done to me?_

"Morgan…" Joe stroked his chin dramatically with a distant look in his eyes. "Why does that sound familiar?"

"Maybe because you watch a lot of Piers Morgan Tonight?" Zach guessed snorting.

"Probably," Joe agreed but he frowned as if not satisfied with that answer.

"Is she pretty?"

"Very," Zach said. "And smart. And funny. And kind. And absolutely perfect."

Joe suddenly looked uncomfortable. He squirmed in his seat. "Zach…we can never love humans like Elorics you know that, right? I'm happy for you and all…but keep in mind that we have to leave at a moment's notice. Don't get too attached okay?"

It was Zach's turn to be uncomfortable. Just the thought of a day without seeing Cammie's face filled him with anxiety and convulsion.

"Yeah," he agreed softly.

They ate breakfast in silence and Zach couldn't help think it was _way_ too late now. Zach was held down by a million gold strings, all leading to _her_, his own personal center of the universe.

* * *

"Cammie! Hey!" Zach's face exploded into a large grin as he caught up with the golden-haired girl.  
She looked radiant as always, with her hair pulled up in a ponytail, revealing the smooth tempting neck hiding underneath and a red skirt with a pretty white lace top.

Cammie slowed down to let him catch up. "Hi."

Zach frowned. Her smile seemed…off, somehow.

"Is everything okay? I mean, with the emergency and all that?" He asked, eyebrows furrowing with concern.

Cammie tried to hide her smile. Didn't he know how hot he looked when the tiny crease formed on his forehead? It was just so darn endearing and it made her want him more than ever.

"Sure," she replied in a clipped tone, tucking a loose strand of blond hair behind her ear.

Zach's frown deepened. "Sure? Cammie what-"

"Hey babe!"

The word sounded so vulgar that it made Zach's whole body jerk. He whirled around to see a boy with broad shoulders flanked with equally or bigger looking guys tromp towards them.  
The sight of them just screamed _brainless steroid-popping JOCKS_.

Taking a closer look Zach realized it was the light brown-haired creepy guy who he had seen at the beach party.

"You look good today baby," the guy said, giving Cammie a sleazy grin and reaching for her waist.

Cammie maneuvered from his arm, shooting him a glare. "Stay _away_ from me Josh."

"Come on babe, don't be like that," he protested, reaching for her again.

Zach suddenly found himself unbound and lunged between Cammie and the guys who looked like an only cleaner-wealthier version of the slimeballs yesterday.

"She told you to _stay away_," Zach hissed, glowering at them.

"What the hell?" Josh scowled at him. "She's _my_ girlfriend asshole, so I suggest you stay away from her."

"I'm not your girlfriend!" Cammie shrieked but neither but were paying attention.

"What are you going to do if I don't?" Zach challenged narrowing his eyes.

"You're going to want to run while you still can," Josh warned stepping closer so their chest almost touched.

Zach was a couple inches taller and they had around the similar build but what Josh didn't know was Zach was much quicker and stronger in inside. The thought put a confident smirk on his face.

"Guys…"Cammie warned but again, neither of them paid attention to her now, a large group of people had gathered around the parking lot of the school.

"I don't think so, _Jimmy_," he sneered.

That struck a nerve. Josh had a bully in primary that always called him Jimmy and had made him stick his head in dirt for five minutes. He felt his face grow hot with anger and embarrassment.

"DON'T EVER CALL ME JIMMY!" He yelled, swinging his fist at Zach who easily dodged.

Another boy lunged at him and Zach pushed him off, crashing the humongous guy on the ground at his feet. The pavement cracked against the impact.

Before anyone else could react a piercing whistle was blown and the PE teacher; a gruff, snappy guy appeared along with the principle.

"Alright that's enough. Smith, Abrams to my office. Go get checked with the nurse Harrison," Professor Buckingham stated.

Zach and Josh glared at each other one more time and followed while the crowd slowly drifted apart, whispering and gossiping.

"I swear, it wasn't us!" Josh exclaimed as soon they entered. "You saw the guy, he gave Kevin a broken nose and he's perfectly fine!"

Zach's jaw dropped and he glowered at the little two-face. "What a fucking liar-"

"SMITH!" Buckingham yelled slamming her fist on the table and Zach feared for her bony little wrist that looked on the brink to fall off.

Despite her frail-granny-look the woman was as scary as hell. Zach suspected she wasn't the type to bake cookies.

"I will not tolerate inappropriate language on school property! Behave yourself!"

_Great _Zach thought sullenly._ This is just fucking great. Just what I need right now_. He discreetly shot a smirking Josh the finger.

"Now," Buckingham said in a much calmer tone, her bony collarbone and popping veins falling back into place. "Why don't you tell me what happened. One at a time. Mr. Abrams?"

"I was just talking to my girlfriend when he comes out of nowhere and starts yelling at me to stay away from her or something like that. He tried to punch me but Kevin stepped in the way and look where that got him. You have to suspend him Professor!"

Zach gave him a murderous glare. "You know that's not what happened!"

But Josh continued talking to Buckingham like he hadn't said anything.  
"You know my father won't be very happy hearing about this," he said in a voice a notch lower and Buckingham sighed. "Very well."

Zach's jaw dropped and he whipped his head from a confident Josh to an agreeing Buckingham. What the hell? Who was his father? And that still didn't give the right for _blackmail_ and _bribe_!

"Daniel, you are to come after school and pick up the litter on the field. Dismissed."

Josh gave Zach one last glare that said _this isn't over _before bolting out. Meanwhile, Zach lingered.

"What?!" Zach exclaimed. "I didn't even get to say my side! He's the one who swung at _me_!"

Buckingham sighed again. "I think I know who said the truth and who didn't. But what can I do? You know who his father is," she shrugged helplessly.

Zach wandered out of the office wondering who the hell Jimmy's big-shot father is and wanting to beat them both to pieces.

* * *

"I don't deserve this. I have better stuff do on my time. I'm gonna summon fire and burn his bony little ass off. I'm gonna stuff this down his throat and suffocate him."

Zach was murmuring incoherently as he another handful of litter in a large black garbage bag. He looked at the normally fresh ground and groaned. Was it just him or was there more debris than usual?

Zach sighed and looked around again, trying to find something that might distract him. He succeeded alright. About 40 yards in front was a figure running on the track, barely visible by the glare of the sun.

Intrigued, he trudged forward, wondering who it was. It was well past school time. Even the major athletes ought to be home by now.

Carefully weaving through the bleachers Zach squinted, realizing with shock and pleasure that it was Cammie.

He was even more shocked to see her practically running like the wind, racing though lap by lap effortlessly. She was _really_ fast. Like almost _Zach-fast_. And that was really something.

Zach watched her with awe, looking exactly like some sort of creeper, at her agility and stamina for a few more minutes before she stopped and took a long drink from her water bottle.

Her smooth neck bobbed just slightly as the liquid ran down her throat, tipping her head back.  
She was wearing a tank top that clung to her skin from sweat and spandex shorts, showing off smooth, toned legs and Zach's breath knocked from his chest.  
She looked so…well…_Goode_ for the lack of better words, and it was impossible not to find that distracting.

"Cammie?"

She started choking on the water with loud, harsh coughs and Zach rushed towards her with panic, rubbing her back and trying to soothe her.

She pushed him away slightly.

"What are you doing in school at this hour?" Cammie demanded.

"Detention," Zach explained, pointing to the three garbage bags seen sprawled on the horizon. She followed his line of vision and eyes widened at the sight.

"So that's why Josh was telling everyone to throw as much garbage on the field as possible. For some kind of abstract picture he wanted to take or something," Cammie muttered.

Zach groaned. "Well that explains a lot."

She glanced over him, her expression sympathetic. "I'm sorry for all the trouble he's caused you, and _will_ cause you. He gets a little crazy when a guy talks to me much less stands up for me."

"You could've told me about your psychotic ex," Zach muttered with a frown.

Cammie let out a short bemused laugh. "Again, sorry."

"Tell me about him," Zach urged. "About your relationship."

She glanced around. "Do you want to go somewhere? The garden?"

For some reason, Zach's stomach curled at thought. Maybe it had to do with the fact that was where he almost kissed her, a subject that was still sore with him.

"How about the café I saw you at? In Beverly Hills?"

"Oh yeah," Cammie replied with a remembering smile. "Where you ran like a lunatic. You know you still haven't told me why."

"All in good time," Zach promised, well not really, he wasn't planning on telling the truth. If he did, Cammie would definetly think _he_ was the psychotic one. "And I'm not a lunatic!"

"Oh please," Cammie snorted, pulling on sweats over her spandex shorts. "You should've seen yourself yesterday. I seem to have an attraction to crazy people."

Zach had been prepared for a series of comebacks but all cocky comment s whooshed out of his mind and blotted from memory forever by the sight of Cammie taking off her sweaty tank top and revealing what appeared to be a red bra as she pulled on a T-Shirt.

Yes, Zach just witnessed Cammie half-naked.

Okay so maybe it didn't really count as _half-naked._ She was doing this thing like pulling on the T-shirt over and tucking her arms inside, slithering out of the tank top and pulling it off, the T-shirt concealing all the essentials.

All Zach saw was a bra strap and some of a flat toned belly but that was still enough for his throat to run dry and a tightness to develop in his pants.

"Okay let's go," Cammie looked at him as she strapped her tote bag over her shoulder and Zach tried to smooth his expression out but it was impossible to hold in the desire he had for her.

He hoped she wouldn't look down and see his…err…problems.

Luckily she didn't and his face must've looked believable enough because without comment they headed towards the parking lot.

"Don't worry about the garbage-picking by the way," Cammie added. His nose wrinkled at her choice of words. "I'm a favorite of Buckingham. I'll bail you out."

"Thanks," Zach muttered, having trouble walking properly. Right now, he was focusing on not tripping over his own feet and embarrassing himself.

* * *

"So this is Gallagher café. It's my absolute favorite," Cammie gushed, opening the door. Wind chimes sung and Zach was hit by the aroma of sweet coffee and melted caramel. It made his mouth water.

The café was small, and a little nondescript but it had a cozy vibe to it as well, with soft cushiony seats and the best pastries and sundaes that made you want to lounge there all day.

"Cammie!" A beautiful girl with titian hair and just as red lips walked over, smiling. She glanced at Zach.  
"Ohh who's this?" Zach noted there was a hint of flirtation in her voice.

"Zach, Courtney. Courtney, Zach." Cammie introduced stiffly.

"Nice to meet you," Courtney purred stretching out a hand.

"Likewise," Zach said politely, shaking it.

"So are you new here? I've never seen you before."

"Um, yeah. Arlington, Virginia." She still hasn't let go of his hand.

Courtney squealed. "Oh my gosh seriously? I have family there! That's so cool! Is it-"

"Don't you have customers to serve?" Cammie butted in, frowning at their conjoined hands. Zach found that surprisingly satisfying. He couldn't help but smirk.

"Oh. Oh yeah sure. The usual Cammie?" Courtney asked, withdrawing her hand.

"No. How about the Sundae Supreme? Two spoons."

"Oh." Courtney repeated sounding surprised. She glanced at the two of them with newfound realization. "I'll be right there with your order."

"Someone was jealous," Zach observed, smirking at Cammie as she led the way to a table.

"Don't flatter yourself Smith. I just saved you from being shadowed to that spot for eternity. I love Courtney, but once she starts, there's no stopping her." Cammie was glad she thought of a plausible lie.

Well, it wasn't exactly a lie….Courtney is a bit of a motor mouth…and there had to be some sort of explanation to why her stomach tightened at their adjoined hands…

Zach's smirk widened and she felt as if his vivid emerald eyes cut right through, seeing inside her soul…the truth…

"Sure. Whatever you say Gallagher Girl."

"Gallagher Girl?" She asked skeptically.

"Yup. Everyone calls you Cammie and I want to be different, you know? And since this is your favorite café…Gallagher Girl seems perfect."

"And why would you want to be different?" Cammie questioned, leaning across the table with an eyebrow raised.

Zach immediately accepted the challenged and leaned forward as well. Their faces were just inches away, fingertips brushing slightly against each other's.

"Why, if I told you, I'd have to kill you," he replied in a low voice that sent shivers up her spine. His eyes were more intense than ever and his breath was cool against her face.  
Cammie's eyes fluttered from the breeze and her breath caught in her throat.

"Here you are!" Courtney's over cheery voice sounded like nails grating against a chalkboard to Cammie.

Her chest rose in an inaudible deep sigh as the leaned back to original seating position and Courtney set the massive heaps and layers of ice-cream, whipped crème and chocolate syrup, sprinkles and candy drops, everything imaginable.

"Holy Crap," Zach exclaimed examining the scene in front of him. "Do you have any idea how much calories the crème alone is?"

"Oh stop being such a girl," Cammie said dismissively, handing him a spoon. She dipped hers in the sundae. "Enjoy."

"Josh and I were dating for a year. Starting from the beginning of junior to the end. At first, it was great. I loved how girls would look at me with envy when I walked with the most popular boy in school.  
But then, it became…very tiring to date him, I guess." Cammie said with a remembering sigh.

"I felt like, I had to always be so mean to people, to keep him entertained. I had to do things, to impress him, to keep him interested in me. I got into alcohol too. I used to crash the wildest parties with him. Yeah, last year was pretty hectic."

"He seems like a world-class jerk," he observed and Cammie cracked a smile.

"And then?" Zach urged. "How did you change?"

"In the summer, I go to my grandparents' house in Nebraska. It's absolutely beautiful there. Their ranch is surrounded by natural wheat fields, and mountains on the horizon, and when the sun set it was breathtaking. All the stress from that year just…flew out of me.

I got into painting and drawing. By art, I began to change my perspective in everything I see. I realized there was more to life than dating the captain of the football team. So I came back to California and broke up with him. But he thinks we're still dating for some reason. I can't really…escape him." Cammie muttered, swirling her spoon around.

She looked up at and smiled at him. "Thanks for standing up for me today."

"Anytime," Zach replied, flashing a smirk. "Hey, how come I've never seen Jimmy before?"

"Jimmy?" Cammie asked raising an eyebrow.

"Yup. He's competition. Rivals don't deserve my calling them by real names," Zach replied smirking.

Cammie laughed. "He went to the Basketball championship game in New York."

"Oh. Wow. Sooo your into psychotic _jocks_." Zach concluded. "Nice."

Cammie rolled her eyes. "Can we get off this topic? Please?"

"Fine, fine. So I noticed you run really fast," he remembered. "Like, really really fast."

"Yeah,"Cammie shrugged. "It's always been a talent of mine."

"You seem to have a lot of talents." Zach observed. She shrugged again.

"What is this, some interrogation? Well, let me ask you some questions as well then."

"Well, what do you want to know?" He asked a bit nervously.

"So, umm what's your hobby?"

Zach pretended to yawn. "That's a pretty boring question Gallagher Girl."

Cammie scowled adorably. "Okay fine. What about you're past relationships? Do _you_ have psychotic ex I have to worry about?"

Zach smirked smugly and she glared as if reading his thoughts. "Nope. I assure you, no one will be engaging you in a catfight."

"Great. I can finally sleep soundly," Cammie replied dryly. Zach chuckled.

"Okay so tell me a secret. Something nobody knows," She said, leaning forward, copper eyes shining with excitement.

_Hmmm. Let me see. I'm actually an alien from an extinct planet with evil, extraterrestrial creatures after me to kill me. Like that would end well_. Zach thought.

"My mom died." Zach offered. "Well, people know that part but what they don't know is that I watched her get killed." That wasn't entirely accurate, but close enough. Zach had actually watched his mom _and_ dad get murdered by the Circle.

Cammie's eyes widened. "Well that took a deeper turn that I expected," she teased. Zach smiled, grateful she didn't say anything corny.

As if reading his thoughts Cammie explained. "My dad died too. Well, I don't really know if he died. He just…disappeared."

"What do you mean 'disappeared'?" Zach asked, furrowing his eyebrows with intrigue.

"It was a long time ago," Cammie said. "But I remembered everything clearly. I was four then. My parents were having some sort of argument. I heard the door slam.  
I ran downstairs and there was my mom sitting on the couch with...well she looked worried. And she was crying too. Daddy was nowhere to be four hours, I found my mom crying again, this time _a __lot_. She told me dad wasn't coming back."

"I'm so sorry," Zach whispered. "How did you even comprehend all that when you were four?"

"Not much," She shrugged. "But I was actually so scared. Because I swear my mom was ranting on about _aliens."_

Zach's eyebrows shot up.

"I know," Cammie agreed misinterpreting his expression. "I probably made that up though. Things were pretty crazy that night. Especially my mind."

"Cammie, do you remember exactly what your mom was ranting about?"Zach asked.

She looked surprised, wondering why he was even interested in that. "Of course, I've always had a good memory. Especially _that night_. She was saying," Cammie paused.  
"You're going to think this is crazy but she was saying… _this was a mistake. I can't believe I did this. An Eloric. How could I be so stupid? We're all in danger Cammie, all because of him. But I loved him so much…I just couldn't help it…_

Cammie swallowed, returning from memory lane and looked down. "That's exactly what she said. Whatever that meant."

Zach however, had gone completely white. All that ice-cream he had mercilessly inhaled was rising back up just as fast. Who _was_ Cammie? And her family? How on earth did they know about Elorics when they were obviously human?

Zach felt a migraine coming along. And he can't even _get_ migraines.

"What? Are you thinking of dialing a Mental Institute without my notice?" Cammie teased looking up.

Zach tried to smile. "Totally. Seems like you're a total hypocrite about the lunatic thing."

"Oh shut up! I was four then, okay? My imagination was wild. I lived dreams involving walking mayonnaise and evil fingernails."

"What?" Zach asked, grinning. He shook his head. "Nah, I'm not even going to ask."

Cammie laughed. "Good choice."

Zach loved talking to Cammie. They never had an awkward pause or ran out of topics. They shared laughs almost every five minutes. He wanted to sit here and share a sundae with her forever. He couldn't bear the thought that they were going to have to leave each other and go to their respectable homes sooner or later.

"Okay so I've told you a secret about me, now it's your turn," Zach said after they shared another fit of laughter.

"Okay let's see…"Cammie thought about it as she scraped her spoon along the glass bowl, trying to scourge leftovers.

Another thing Zach loved about Cammie. She wasn't those insanely healthy girls who counted down every calorie and only ordered pea sized dinners. He enjoyed having a competition over who could finish all the whipped crème first.

"I can go invisible."

The strawberry that was enroute to going down Zach's throat seemed to do a summersault. "What?" He rasped, chocking on the strawberry and thinking about the Eloric thing.

"Okay so not like, 'now you see me, now you don't' but it's more like, I can blend into crowds or the scenery. I don't really know how to explain it. It's like, I'm standing right next to my friend and she doesn't see me.  
Or last year, when one of the parties I went to got busted for alcohol, instead of running like a smart person, I just…stood there -"

She was interrupted by Zach guffawing. "Of course you did. Only you Gallagher Girl, only you."

Cammie glared. "Don't interrupt me! Sooo anyway….yeah I stood there and the police just went by me without noticing. I guess being a nondescript has its perks sometimes."

Zach frowned. "Cammie you are not-"

"I asked my mom about it. She told me I just had a 'special power' to make me feel better," Cammie continued, not letting him finish. She rolled her eyes. "Mothers."

"Cam, you-"

"Zach I don't want an ego boost okay? I'm plain and I accept it. Anyway," She put on a fake large smile. "It's almost time for dinner. You want to join?"

* * *

**Okay I'm so sorry for not updating earlier. And I'm also sorry for putting up such a crappy chapter. I don't really like the way it turned out, especially the Zach/Josh thing. If you guys have better ideas, I shall rewrite the chapter.  
And if you have any ideas for the next chapter, feel free to express them! Please review guys. Even if it's just one word, it means a lot. What do you think Cammie is? I won't wait for a certain number of reviews but it would make me sooo happy if I got 50! Just 15 reviews. Come on guys!**

**Love**

**Plain Is Prettiest!**


	6. Chapter 6

**Goodness, I'm so sorry for not updating in such a long time! Anyway, I was a bit dissapointed when I only got 6 reviews but it's better than nothing! I'm so thankful to :**

**_Zach-Goode's_- Girl xxx - Thanks so much for being a regular reviewer. It means so much to me!**  
**_Uknowiloveu_ - Again, a wonderful regualar reveiwer that I love so much :)**  
**_i spy a thief xo_ - Again, a regular reveiwer. It's you guys that inspire me! Your amazing :)**  
**_Lanoon_ - Thank you so much for your kind words 3**  
**_annam645_ - Thank you for liking the chapter. Just to let you know though, just because Bex has dark skin doesnt mean she's African/American. People mistaken that often. I have a friend who has dark skin and is full European as is Bex! :)**  
**_Goode-Lover_ - I have to admit, it made me sad you didnt like the story at first. Can you tell me why though? But Im glad you like it now! Thanks for your support!**

**Disclaimer : I dont own anything. Righst reserved.**

* * *

"Gosh that was actually very disgusting," Cammie exclaimed as they hurried up the staircase of her house after dinner.

"What? The food? I thought it was pretty good," Zach mused.

She rolled her eyes. "It's takeout from the store. So obviously it's _good_. I was saying how you were mercilessly charming my mom. _That _was disgusting."

Zach let out a velvety chuckle. "Jealousy will get you nowhere Gallagher Girl."

"Please, you _wish_. Are you vampire?"

Zach laughed aloud. "Why do you think that?"

"Because," Cammie said, a blush starting to form. "You have _that _voice. You can sweet-talk anybody into doing anything. Vampires use it to lure their pray."

"Not to mention how I have the godly looks too," Zach mused pretending to think about it.  
He laughed again. "You saw me in the sun. Do I sparkle like a disco ball?"

"Okay, okay," she relented, blushing more profusely now. "I was just joking."

But Zach wouldn't let up. "I swallowed my blood once," he announced, smirking. "It tasted _good_. Like chicken."

Cammie whirled around and smacked his arm. "I said SHUT UP!"

Zach snickered as they stepped into her room. "Wow."

"Surprised?" Cammie asked in a daring voice, raising an eyebrow.

"Hell yes. I was expecting posters of One Direction and Justin Beiber plastering the walls," he said smirking.

She rolled her eyes. "Please. I have more dignity than that."

"Could've fooled me," Zach muttered examining the canvases that hung on her walls. "This is amazing."

Cammie snorted. "That's Picasso, stupid. I wish I can paint like that."

"Oh." He was glad his back was turned to her so she couldn't see his embarrassed flush. "Where's your paintings?" His eyes scanned her surprisingly elegant and vintage room for a teenage girl.

"There in the shed outside-" Cammie began.

"AHA!" Zach spotted a blanket covering what looked like a canvas, hidden halfway through her open closet. He made a dash for it.

"DANIEL! NO!" She shrieked trying to race after him but it was too late. Zach swept off the blanket with flourish, grinning mischievously.

And just like that, his smile pulled down, cherry red lips forming a perfect "O". Cammie had fallen silent behind him.

It was _Zach_. Hell, it was too obvious it was Zach. If he hadn't been standing there in his flesh and blood, he would've thought he had been cast into the portrait by the Wicked Witch of The West because that painting was pretty damn perfect.

Seriously, it had captured everything. The waves of his hair, the curls at the nape of his neck, the light tints of caramel in his chocolate brown locks, even the brownish birthmark at the base of his collarbone.

She had shaped his angular face perfectly, strong jaw line that could cut through steel, the curve of the chiseled skin on his cheeks, his rose-colored lips in a smirk, the faint dimples.

But it was his eyes that popped out the most. They were dazzling emeralds; big, luscious, mysterious, alluring.

They swirled with shades of green with gold flecks dotting his deep-set orbs that seemed to go one forever. His dark eyelashes were long and curled up; casting shadows on his creamy skin and highlighting his high, beautiful cheekbones.

He looked fierce, confident, mystifying, ascetic and so much more.

Zach stared at it, eyes running up and down and taking the whole thing in and not a single thing came into his mind.

Cammie, taking this as a bad sign, hurried to cover it back up, flushing as red as a fire-truck.  
"S-sorry," she whispered looking down. "I should've asked for your permission first. I know I look like the biggest creep."

"Are you – are you _crazy_?" Zach finally breathed out. "Cammie this is beautiful! Oh my gosh…I'm just speechless. Wow."

"_You_…speechless? At least there was some sort of accomplishment," she said shyly.

Zach cracked a small smile but his features remained serious. His eyes still never left the now-covered painting as if they can sear through the cloth.

"Seriously Cam. I'm not creeped out at all. I'm actually flattered. And that painting…hell its better that Pistachio or whatever is name is! You seriously need to be an artist and start showing in galleries!"

Cammie blushed. "Yeah…um no. That's just a hobby."

Zach parted his lips to protest but Cammie rushed in. "So what's your hobby?"

He smiled slightly, sinking down to a cozy spot between her bed and wall, leaning up against it. Cammie followed in suit.

"Promise you won't tell anybody? I sort of like singing," he said softly.

Cammie snorted, clamping a hand over her mouth.

"You said you wouldn't laugh!" Zach exclaimed.

"S-s-sorry," she giggled. "I just can't imagine _you_ of all people, _singing_. I mean, look at you. It's pretty self-explanatory right?"

Zach rolled his eyes. "How come girls don't say that about Justin Beiber or One Direction then?"

Cammie shook her head, smiling. "Why do you keep on bringing up Justin Beiber and One Direction? You obviously have a secret crush."

He snorted. "Secret? Please? Harry Styles is my babe and I'm not afraid to say it!" His voice oozed with sarcasm and Cammie laughed.

"Sing something to me!" She said, eyes bright and twinkling. Zach wrinkled his nose. "I'd rather not…"

"Come on, please!" She grabbed his hand, her eyes pleading. "For me?"

How can he refuse her if she does that? Looking at him with those huge, succulent eyes reflecting off the moonlight though the window and creating a spectrum of rainbows and the lamp beside them spurred her hair into pure, raw gold.  
She was so beautiful, Zach thought, breathless. Like an angel.

_I can see you there in with the city lights,  
__Fourteenth floor, pale blue eyes_

_I can breathe you in  
__Two shadows standing by the bedroom door,_

_No, I could not want you more than I did right then,  
__As our heads leaned in_

_Well, I'm not sure what this is gonna be  
__But with my eyes closed all I see,_

_Is the skyline, through the window  
__The moon above you and the streets below_

_Hold my breath as I'm moving in  
__Taste your lips and feel your skin_

_When the time comes, baby don't run,  
just kiss me slowly_

Zach's eyes were shut but he was his superhuman hearing was hyperware of the fact that Cammie's breath was hitching and her heart was slamming in her chest so hard it sounded like drums.  
He still gripped her hand and noted her palm was getting a little moist.

"Beautiful," she whispered, her lovely voice totally fitting in the atmosphere.  
Zach smiled slightly but he didn't dare open his lids. He was a little scared of what he would see if he did.

Then, her lips were on his.

Zach's eyes shot open with surprise and he felt like he had died on gone to heaven at the sight of love of his life not even an inch away from his face, her dainty nose touching his, her flawless tanned cheek against his creamy ones, her soft hair falling against his face and creating a coconut-scented halo around them.

Zach smiled into the kiss, shutting his eyes again and felt Cammie shiver as his long eyeleashes brushed against her skin.

His arm went around her tiny waist, pulling her on his lap while the other cupped the base of her neck, gently deepening the kiss.

Her lips parted, feeling his candy mouth dominating hers and sweet breath overpowering her mind, flushing everything that's happened in the last eighteen years of her life. It was as if she was reborn again.

Cammie could feel her heart pounding, but that was okay since his was too, in perfect sync. Her body was pressed against his and she could clearly distinguish the strong, firm planes of his stomach and the toned muscles on his arms.

Cammie moaned softly in his mouth and it sent his body on fire.

Zach didn't need sleep anymore. He didn't need food, or money, or a house. He didn't need to check out hot girls and show off at the beach. All those things seemed so insignificant now.  
All he needed was Cammie and for her lips to find his. He couldn't believe he had waited so long for this bliss.

They sat there kissing for a long, _long_ time, none of them could get enough of each other. They didn't care if they were lacking oxygen, they were breathing each other in and stealing air as one and that's all they cared about.

If this wasn't love, than what was?

"Oh my gosh," Cammie gasped as they literally forced off each other. "Where did you come from?"

Her hair was fanning around her face and her normally golden skin seemed to be permanently stained red. Her lips were swollen and her breathing came out in irregular short gasps.

Zach grinned and rocked back on his heels, stuffing his hands in his pockets and watching her stand against the doorway, the cool air sending Goosebumps on her skin. Or maybe that was just the way Zach was looking at her.

"Would you believe me if I told you I'm an alien from another planet?"

Cammie rolled her eyes. "The vampire theory is more plausible than that, Daniel."

"Zach," he corrected softly.

Cammie squinted. "What?"

He swallowed, knowing this was risky and stupid but he couldnt help himself. He wanted her to know the _real him.  
_"Call me Zach."

"Why?" She furrowed her eyebrows. "Isnt your name Daniel?"

"Zach is...my middlename," he explained. "I prefer it better than Daniel."

"So why do you tell people to call you Daniel?" Cammie asked.

Zach shrugged, smiling bashfully. " Only special people get to call me Zach."

"Lucky me," Cammie rolled her eyes but smiled warmly. "Zach suits you better anyway.  
She rubbed her arms before looking at him again. "Do you want to hang out tomorrow? Do some homework?"

Zach let out a fake groin. "Homework? You're a slave driver Gallagher Girl. I was thinking about making -"

"Okay! Okay!" Cammie hissed, glancing behind her. "We'll talk at school. You can go now."

_Before I attack you again_. She thought.

Zach laughed softly. "I'll call you tonight Gallagher Girl."

Suddenly he was up the stairs and right in front of her. Before Cammie could blink he grabbed her hips and pulled her against him and pressed his lips against hers, dipping her backwards slightly. He pulled away just as fast.

Cammie was so shocked she started sputtering. "What – uh – ZACH!"

But he was already running away, his musical laughter drifting in the breeze.

Cammie smiled, shaking her head softly before turning around.

She let out a muffled scream at the faceless figure standing right behind her.

* * *

**So here is some Zammie for my taking such a long time to update. Again, I'm so sorry!**** Anyway, who do you think the person is and what happened to Camme?! Did you like that Zach's a Directioner! :D**

**Love,  
Plain Is Prettiest!  
(According to Zach and I)**


	7. Chapter 7

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* * *

"Boo."

"WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU MACEY!" Cammie shrieked before taking a deep breath and placing a hand on her hammering heart. "You scared me half to death!"

She eyed the dark-haired beauty suspiciously. "How did you get in anyway?"

Macey shrugged, wandering into the kitchen and yanking open the fridge. "Your mom let me in through the back door. If you weren't so busy shoving your tongue down -Candy's throat, you would've noticed."

Cammie swallowed. Even though her head was still poking inside the fridge, Cammie couldn't miss the bitter tone in her voice.

"I'm sorry."

"Why?" Macey pulled out Greek yogurt and banged the door shut with her hip. She went hunting for a spoon. "You like him, he likes you, it's happily ever after. Yay."

Cammie bit her lip. "Did you-did you really like him too?"

Macey snorted. "Does it matter?"

"Macey."

She sighed. "Yes, yes I did. _Do_."

Cammie grimaced, feeling really bad now. But she couldn't deny the connection between her and Zach, and selfish as she was, she would give up anything just to be with him.

"But-but aren't you…gay?"

Macey burst out laughing, a mixture of snorting and chortling. It was surprising really. You would think a girl as gorgeous and precious-looking as Macey McHenry would have an equally-attractive laugh like a tinkling bell or something.

But Macey's laugh resembled more of a donkey's bray than a bell and it was one of the things that Cammie loved about her, one of the things that made her truly beautiful and priceless.

"_Gay?_ Where on earth did you come up with that? Haven't I been with enough men for you to realize rumors are a pile of bullshit?"

It was as if she had totally forgot about the Liz-thing. But Cammie knew her friend. Macey didn't forget stuff easily, no matter how air-headed she pretends to be.

"But what about…_Liz?_" Cammie asked softly, a bit afraid of her notorious bipolar behavior.

"What about her?" She said coolly.

Cammie licked her lips nervously. "Well, you know how you guys, um kissed?"

"Babe, you need to forget that. It was _nothing_. I was just experimenting, you know, living my teen years which normal, non-uptight-stick-a-broom-up-your-ass teenagers do. But oh wait, you _don't _know anything about that do you?" She said in a sickly-sweet voice, plastering a large, sarcastic smile on her face.

Cammie flinched. Damn, Macey could be a real bitch.

But yet, something was…off. Either it really was nothing, or she was still _very_ hung up over it, Cammie couldn't tell which.

"I never really cared about boys. They were all just toys to me. But with Daniel…I felt something special you know? A spark. A connection."

Cammie's throat ran dry at Macey's words and a sickening feeling took pit in her stomach. Her eyes tightened, like she was about to cry but she refused to do so.

Cammie couldn't help but doubt…

She also felt the most wonderful ecstasy and the feel of his lips on hers. She had thought this was just between her and Zach.

But if Macey had felt it too… was it just Zach's amazing kissing skills? That made the victim feel like this? Was there nothing between Zach and her? Was she just another girl?

"He like…moans into your mouth and it feels so good," Macey continued.

Yes, Cammie knew about that special tingling that travels all the way down to the core when he does the special makeout-moan. Her chest clenched. Why was Macey telling her this? For torture? Revenge?

"And I thought…I thought he was different. He was the one," she finished softly.

Cammie wondered if that's how all the girls had felt. She tried to swallow the lump in her throat.

"Do you want me to…stop, well kissing him?" She wanted to say 'stop seeing him' but Cammie didn't even know what they were anymore. She could be just a game for all she knew. And after Josh, Cammie had enough jerks to last ten lifetimes.

"No. He's not interested in me at all. It was a 'one time' thing." Macey grimaced, shoving the spoonful of yogurt in her mouth and keeping it there for a long time.

"He really likes you though," she added slowly, as if it pained her to admit it.

"What?" Cammie couldn't help but feel a little shoot of thrill up her veins. "How do you know that?"

Macey snorted. "It's so freaking obvious. The boy never stops looking at you. Even when he's with friends or in P.E in the middle of a lacrosse game. He's always smiling when he talks to you. It's a little creepy if you ask me."

A small part of Cammie's brain noted how jealous Macey was, but that was easily overpowered by the fuzzy warm glow that was inebriated her mind and body.

Just like any teenage girl she felt insecure yet giddy. Did Zach really do that? Could he possibly like a girl like him?

"Besides, I have a boyfriend," Macey said with a wry smile.

Cammie squealed jumping up in her seat. "No way! A boyfriend? A real boyfriend? Like, your dating him exclusively?"

"Yes, what do you think I am, some slut?" She laughed.

"What's his name?" Cammie exclaimed.

"Not telling," Macey sang. Cammie's face fell. "What?"

"Oh come on, secret, forbidden love is sexy!" She argued.

"Secret, forbidden love?" Cammie said skeptically. "What, is it your cousin, what's his name…Mark?"

"Oh Cammie. How highly you think of me. I only kissed him once. And it was just a dare!" Macey giggled.

"Then why wont you tell me?" Cammie whined like a five year old.

Macey waved it away. "Hey, you wanna have a sleepover tonight? By sleeping over I mean, sneaking out to a club and dancing until dawn. The whole works."

"On a school night?" She raised an eyebrow. Cammie knew Macey knew that sneaking to a club and dancing until dawn was definitely not her thing. Cammie also knew that was Macey's excuse. Something was wrong.

She squinted. "Mace, you look like you've been dancing till dawn everyday. Have you been sleeping at all?'

"Shit, is my makeup fading? Damn woman, promised me it would last for 48 hours. And no, I'm not sneaking out to a club," She huffed.

"Then what Mace?" Cammie asked softly.

Suddenly, the arrogant, joking light in Macey eyes faded. Her lips pulled down. "I'm having…I'm having nightmares. Really terrible, really vivid nightmares. I can't stand falling asleep anymore."

"Have you told a doctor or something?"

"No. They'll think I'm crazy." Macey bit her lip and swallowed hard. She leaned forward, eyes frightened.

"Cammie I'm having the same nightmare every night. At first, I'm at some…place…some planet. I know it's not anywhere here because it's insanely beautiful and the people there are so different. I can feel this vibe. And then suddenly, an explosion happens. The planet seems to bombarded by really scary looking people, they look like aliens. The people are using _powers_ to fight them off.

And then I'm being chased by this…this _person_ who doesn't look close to human, with some sort of dagger I've never seen before. I trip and the person looms over me. It raises the dagger and just as it's about to kill me, it's face morphs into an inhuman women with dark red hair." She swallowed again.

"And she- and she has the identical eyes of Zach's. Her face…is identical to _Zach's_. She says "I'm coming for you Macey." And then, she stabs me. And I can literally, feel it inside of me, the searing pain. It's just _so scary_."

Cammie was silent, shell-shocked. She was definitely _not_ expecting that. Her idea of Macey's nightmares would be her wardrobe going on fire. She guesses there's a lot more to a person than the surface image.

"You probably think that's the stupidest dream ever," Macey muttered. She refused to look at her but Cammie could tell there were tears in her eyes.

"Ofcourse not Mace," She rushed in, placing a comforting hand on hers. Cammie smiled warmly. "Clubs are no-no's for me, but how about watching PS I Love You with Ben and Jerry's icecream? The whole works."

Macey sniffled but smiled the familiar wry smile. "Your on."

* * *

"Dude have you seen the new girl? She's fucking hot!"

It was all Zach heard this morning. New girl…this, new girl…that.

Honestly, Zach could care less. All he wanted to do was see his girlfriend and kiss her good morning. A goofy smile spread on his face, as he thought about Cammie being his _girlfriend_.

She was more than he ever hoped for.

Zach decided to go check her locker. But on the way, he caught sight of the "new girl" everyone was talking about.

She was indeed very beautiful. Tall, curvy, athletic, lean she seemed to have it all. Her cappuccino skin glowed under the florescent lights like nobody else's, her chocolate brown hair flowed in long, perfect curls, her caramel eyes were big and luscious and alert. Apparently, she was also British.  
Zach could see why every guy in the school was tripping over their shoelaces and wiping mountains of drool in front of her.

Every guy, except Zach. He already has his eyes on someone else and her beauty made him oblivious to any other girl.

And maybe, that was why she chose him.

"Hullo," her accent was rich and sexy, but strangely familiar.  
"I'm Bex Baxter." She smiled charmingly at him and stuck out a long, smooth arm. Zach could feel every boy's oozing envy at him talking to flawless goddess.

"Uh, Daniel Smith. Nice meet you." He shook her hand, feeling sparks shoot up his arm.

No, not the intimate sparks he felt with Cammie, these sparks actually _hurt_. He tried to pull away, feeling the queasy but she didn't let go.

"The pleasure is all mine. Say, can you show me to my first class? I'm feeling a bit lost. California is so different then London."

_You don't say_, Zach thought sarcastically.

He smiled apologetically. "I'd love to, but I have to meet someone. I'm sure someone else would love to show you around." He tugged on his hand.

She tightened her grip and Zach could see the strong dents of the biceps on her arms. Not in a freaky, mannish way though, it was pretty hot.

"But the secretary said to ask_ you_," she pouted an attractive pout.

Zach furrowed his eyebrows. _"She did?"_

"Of course," Bex said confidently. "Us new kids should stick together, I quote. So what do you say Daniel? Us against them?" She forced his eye to meet hers and something inside him came changed. He couldn't remember what he had actually been about to do before Bex showed up.

"Sure," Zach smiled brightly. "I'd love to show you around."

* * *

People glanced at her weirdly as the normally "energetic bunny" dragged her feet across the floor in a sluggish manner.  
She noticed them do a double take at her fresh non-makeup filled face and the messy bun at the top of her head.  
She heard them whispering about "what the hell is wrong with her? Daddy got poor?"

Macey didn't care. She was just beat _tired_. After watching a movie at Cammie's last night, she forced herself to return to her lonely mansion that even pin drops echoed.  
Laying down on her humungous cashmere king-sized bed, Macey refused to shut her droopy eyes, terrified at what the images there might behold.  
She didn't know what was happening to her, and she didn't believe in those conspiracy-filled movie crap, but she was sure this was some sort of…_message_.

"Macey, hey." She turned around to see the one and only Elizabeth Sutton. She pursed her lips and raised her chin defiantly, refusing to be intimidated by her perfect curls, the toned made up with layers of foundation face, the prim clothes.

_Pfft, I still look better than her, even in sweats, _Macey thought with a degree of satisfaction.

"Hello Liz."

"Are you okay? You look really tired," Liz said, falling into step beside her as if they were friends.

"Um yeah, just studying for the Physics test," Macey replied, suspicious of her uncharacteristic friendly behavior.

Liz snorted with a incredulous look on her face. "Since when do you study?"

"I always do, Elizabeth," Macey replied sharply, suddenly feeling very frustrated and angry. As usual, it came out in a snappy, snarky remark.  
"Unlike a certain two-face, who has the same IQ as Einstein but still pretends to be some dumb stupid blonde just to be able to ogle at unsuspecting cheerleaders in the change room."

Liz's eyes narrowed. "I would be careful McHenry, since you're the one with the apparent interest in women, due to the fact you were crying over me."

"_Crying?_" Macey seethed. "I'm fucking straight you bitch. Why the hell are you even talking me?"

Liz sighed. "I wish the conversation hadn't gotten this ugly. I just…I miss you and Cammie. I want to be friends again."

Macey snorted, not buying it. "Why now?"

"Because you were right," Liz said softly and Macey felt a stupid sudden spark of hope. "I am…pretending to be someone I'm not. And I'm realizing that now."

"And?" Macey asked, holding her breath.

"I decided to stop playing the dumb blonde. I joined the Varsity Math Team. I quit cheerleading. So since I'm going back to who I used to be in middle school, why don't I go all the way and have my friends back also?"

"What makes you think we want to be your friends?" Macey grumbled, taking a deep breath. She didn't know what she thought Liz was about to say, but she found herself both relieved and disappointed.

"Because I miss you guys," Liz confessed. "The mindless giggling, the endless gossip is really getting to me. I miss our meaningful conversation with your dry humor and Cammie's bubbly laugh. I miss going to Starbucks and almost being thrown out for being too loud. I miss going to the mall and instead of heading to Hollister, we go to the thrift shops and you somehow make the coolest outfits. I miss it all."

Macey found herself smiling. "And we miss how crazy you used to get when someone insulted the Clean, Green, Environment Movement."

Liz laughed. "Yeah. You'll be happy to know that still hasn't changed. I'm still a total tree-hugger."

They rounded a corner and stopped dead in their tracks. There, Daniel and the new-girl, _Bex_ were laughing together. Bex seemed to shuffle closer than acquaintances.

_What is he doing?_ Macey thought. Wasn't he crazy about Cammie or something? Even though she had been jealous of that, she couldn't help feel angry and sad now.  
Cammie really liked him and he turned out to be a total tool. All Macey did was get her hopes up.

"Wow. He sure works fast," Liz said softly, disgust and disappointment lacing through her voice. "First you, then me, and now 'new-girl'."

_And Cammie._ Liz didn't know about him and Cammie and Macey wasn't ready to tell her yet, in fear she was still Bimbo-Liz, who gossiped about everything.

Cammie didn't deserve this. She was a sweet, nice, beautiful girl and after Josh, she deserved a Prince Charming.

Daniel proved to be charming, but definitely not a prince.

"Come on." Macey tugged on Liz's arm, dragging her towards him and Bex.

"What are you doing?" Liz whispered fiercely.

"Let's go find _Cammie_," Macey replied, not looking at the two of them but saying it very loudly, for them to hear. She made sure to "accidently" kick Daniel's shin as they walked past.

He seemed to have gotten the message.

"Um, I gotta go. See you around Bex," Macey faintly heard him say and she smiled to herself.

* * *

"Hey Gallagher Girl." Zach slid down beside her and gave her a chaste kiss on the lips that never failed to leave butterflies in her stomach.

Cammie smiled. "Hi Za- Daniel."

No one else noticed her little slip but Zach – of course. He gave her a playful yet reprimanding eyebrow raise before turning to her friends. "Hello ladies."

Liz and Macey nodded their greeting with lips pursed, not forgetting their history with him and certainly not forgetting what happened earlier this morning.

Zach's green eyes met Macey's blue ones and he silently pleaded with her not jump to conclusions.

After all, Bex was gorgeous and seductive and made him forget what he about to do, but he was still madly in love with Cammie and that never changes.

"So did you see the new girl," Macey said deliberately, stirring her smoothie. "She is such wannabe. That Louis Vuitton bag is so fake."

"I know right? The L is backwards," Liz giggled. "It's obvious she's a slut, trying to steal people's boyfriends."

"You better watch out Cam," Macey said, leveling her eyes to Zach.

He didn't waver. "Cam's got nothing to worry about."

"I better not," Cammie teased. "And she doesn't seem so bad. I'm going to talk to her before I judge."

"Daniel! Hi!" Right on cue, the sexy British accent cut through the air and Zach couldn't shake the feeling he heard it somewhere. Not the accent, but the voice.

They turned around to see Bex Baxter walking towards them, heads turning as she took each step. Macey rolled her eyes with disgust.

"You know her?" Cammie asked. He shrugged. "Yeah. Ms Huffles told me to show her around."

"Can I sit here?" Bex asked, arriving at their table and smiling beautifully, with dimples and everything.

When no one else answered, Zach cleared his throat. "Um, sure."

"Thanks." She slid down on the other side of him. "Look at you, surrounded by girls. A ladies man aren't you?" Bex teased Zach.

He smiled. "Nah. I'm taken by this beautiful girl right here." He gestured to Cammie.

"Hi," She smiled warmly. "I'm Cammie."

_So this is the Cameron Ann Morgan_, Bex thought, smiling frostily. "Pleasure to meet you."

"And this is Liz and Macey." Cammie added weakly, starting to feel a little intimidated. The girls just stared back.

"Hey, I think I saw you on the latest issue of Vogue!" Bex exclaimed to Macey.

"Obviously. Is there anyone else that looks like me?" Macey replied snottily, her blue eyes cold.

" Actually, there are seven look a-likes in the world and you must be the ugly duckling of the seven aren't you?"

Macey snorted. "Someone's jealous. Get better insults babe."

"I'm sorry, I don't like you like that." Bex retorted, smiling amusingly.

"What?" Macey asked shocked.

"You heard me, I'm into _guys_."

"Um excuse me? So am I." she said, looking at her like she was crazy.

"Please McHenry, your not fooling anybody. I don't even want to know what you and Liz are doing under there."

"What?" They both exclaimed.

"Would you like me to repeat myself? Or tell the whole story since you don't seem to remember what I'm talking about? What do you say everyone?" Bex stood up and addressed to the eavesdropping crowd that they just noticed.

"Are Elizabeth Sutton and Macey McHenry _just _best friends, or more?"

Liz paled while Macey stood up angrily. "Don't you dare, come here and spit these lies to my face. Who the hell do you think you are?"

Bex smirked. "Lies you say? What was a lie, was Liz saying you were fighting over a _boy_. Truth is, you're on a whole different team."

"Get the fuck out of my face," Macey growled, her blue eyes sparking with electricity.

"You don't have to tell me twice. I just came here to tell Daniel here, that five o'clock is great. I'm looking forward to seeing a much more gorgeous face then this one. See you Daniel!" Bex touched his shoulder affectionately before trouncing off, leaving the four of them speechless.  
Somehow, she had been able to damage all four of them in one lunch period.

"Fucking bitch." Macey fumed. She turned her icy glare to everyone else. "What the hell are you looking at?" She barked.

"How did she know about that?" Liz whispered quietly.

"Daniel," Cammie said. "Why is she seeing you at five o'clock?"

"A project. I'm supposed to help her get started on the English assignment." Zach explained.

"She made it sound like a _date_" Cammie frowned.

"It's most certainly not." Zach amended.

"There are a ton of guys who would love to help her! First you show her around and now you're helping her homework. Why _you?_"

"Cammie, I'm not understanding why your so upset! It's strictly business. I help her and then she's gone. Why are you so suspicious?" Zach exclaimed.

"Because I saw the way you were looking at her! You were checking her out and this is just the first day we were dating officially! Maybe you're bored of me already! How am I suppose to know I'm not some fling until you find more fresh meat? How am I suppose to know you're not already moving on to another girl?"

"Because your suppose to _trust_ me. God Cam, stop being so insecure and nosy!"

"I once trusted a boy like you and he _destroyed_ me. I thought you were differentl! But by the way your looking at Bex, you might as well kiss her while you're at it!" Cammie grabbed her tray and shoved the remaining food in the garbage, stalking off.  
Liz and Macey followed ensuite leaving Zach, still shell-shocked.

_What the freaking hell just happened?_

* * *

**Wow. So Bex has done A LOT. Just to make this clear is that THERE WILL BE NO ZEX OKAY? Because I HATE Zex with a passion. **

**Here's a semi-hint of what's going on between them:  
****What Zach feels for her is not emotional.**

**What do you think? Review!  
****Love, Plain Is Prettiest!**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hi guys! Thanks so much for reading my story and supporting me! I freaking love you guys! Shout Outs to:**

**i spy a theif xo - Aha your little rant made me laugh :) Thanks for supporting my from the beginning! Love you!**

**Annie - Thanks so much for being a regular reveiwer and to answer your question...well I wont :) You'll see **  
**I'll try to do my best in every chapter! Thanks again!**

**Zach Goode's Girl xxx - Thank you for saying it was GOODE! It always makes my happy when people say that!**  
**And your wish was granted :)**

**Gg01 - Omg your so good at guessing! Your theory was spot on! (Oops spolier alert) I think I said that a little too late...oh well you deserve to know! And your toher theory...well you'll just have to read on and see :)**  
**Thanks for reviewing!**

**Crazy 4 Goode - Thank you and your wish was granted :)**

**Guest (Saphira) - Thanks so much for your kind words! Yes, Grant is going to be in the story, just a bit later. So is Jonas! And Preston...I think. I dont know, we'll see how it plays out, just continue reading :)**

**Annie - Yes, I will be continueing Heart On Your Sleeve if that's your question, I'm just going to focus on finishing this story first**

**Vampire's -Bite Me - Aha yes there is a lot of Drama, and there will be more drama. You'll see what Bex is up to soon...later...maybe in the next chapter...**

**Uknowiloveu - I think we're like Fanfiction bestfriends now :) And I promise I wont give up this story because I'm actually very proud if it. All your questions will be answered very, very soon since the plot is starting to heat up now! Hope you like it! :)**

**kaitgirl - OMG Thank you so much! One of the best? I'm speechless! Again, thank your for reviewing anf your kind words! :)**

* * *

"Oof!"

The usually graceful and coordinated Bex Baxter found herself sprawled onto the floor.

"Oh, sorry about that."

She glared up at the boy smiling cheekily down at her.  
If this was a movie, books would be sprawled on the floor and they would both be picking them up while the girl was blushing and the boy was apologizing.  
Then, they would stand up and almost be nose-to-nose and corny words would be exchanged between them.

Luckily, Bex doesn't watch movies.

Instead, she ignored his outstretched hand, stood up elegantly, and gave the handsome, broad-shouldered boy a murderous look.  
"Watch where you're going jackass," Bex glowered, securing her bag over her shoulder and storming off.

Well, on the brink of storming off.

"Wait," the boy called, grabbing her arm. "Don't go yet. Maybe I did that on purpose. So I have an excuse to talk to you."

She glanced down at his long fingers wrapped around her wrist and swallowed. "Okay so talk," she snapped, not a trace of her nervousness in her voice.

The boy smiled easily. He had a nice smile. Soft and inviting. She fought back a hiss. Something about him made her feel queasy.

Bex narrowed her eyes, trying to get a read of him but nothing came except a strange stinging feeling. Just like Cammie. This alarmed her.

"I'm Josh."

"I know," Bex said shortly, rubbing her bracelet that turns into a dagger.

He glanced at her fingers and something flickered in his eyes before he smiled again. "So you know I'm the football quarterback right? I was wondering if you wanted to go to the carnival with me?"

She snorted. "What does being a football quarterback have anything to do with going to the carnival?"

He shrugged. "I thought you were the kind of girl who cared about reputation. You would want to be seen with me, seeing my dad is the richest person here. But Daniel? Don't waste your time on _him_."

Bex was suspicious. And she on uneasy. Something about him felt off. Just like Cammie, he put her on the edge. But she wasn't scared. After watching her Celostan die right before her eyes, there was nothing much that scared her.

Bex reckoned that maybe going to this carnival with Josh will help her figure out what's going with him and what exactly _is _he, to be general. And she would be able to keep an eye on Zach – or Daniel, she should say.

She smiled slyly. "Your right. And I'd love to go with you."

* * *

"Home sweet home." Rachel Morgan sighed to herself with relief, hoisted her suitcase up the stairs, and let herself through the door. After a weekend in Roseville, Virginia she was more than eager to head back to Cali and collapse on her bed.

Her heels echoed against the polished floor as she clip-clopped her way to the kitchen and snagged a bottle SmartWater from the fridge. She always had a strange disgust for tap water.

Suddenly, there was a bang from upstairs. Setting the bottle on the counter, Rachel sauntered over to the stairs.

"Cammie? Why aren't you at school?"

No answer. Rachel frowned. "Cammie?"

She headed up the stairs, panic spreading inside her. Living with Mathew Morgan has made her paranoid and since his disappearance, the edginess increased every year.

She stopped at the top of the stairs and opened a secret compartment, blended by the beige color of the wall, and pulled out a six-inch silver dagger with a wicked spiked blade that could cut through steel. The blue Eloric symbol glowed on the hilt of the dagger and splayed the walls in eerie shadows.

Rachel slipped off her heels and started down the hall. She pushed herself against the wall and touched the doorknob to Cammie's room. Taking a deep breath, she flung open the door and thrust the knife outwards. There was no one there.

Rachel quietly moved on to guest room and did the same. No one was there either.

Next, her room. She held her breath, noticing the door was slightly ajar.

_No_, she thought lips trembling. After sixteen years of running away, hiding her daughter, they had discovered her. They had finally come to get her. She wont let that happen.

Saying a quick prayer to a God she didn't believe in, Rachel opened the door and held the knife in front of her, scanning the room. Everything was perfect, not a speck of dust out of place.

"Oh my," Rachel slouched her tense shoulders and blew out a breath, smiling to herself. Words couldn't describe how relieved she was. She turned back towards the hall.

Suddenly a figure flitted from a shadowy corner and Rachel only had time to open her mouth when it pounced on her, covering her mouth with something that smelled like chlorophyll and locking her arms behind her, the knife clattering to the floor.

_Oh hell no_ Rachel thought to herself pulling her knee back and kneeing the person in the crotch, hoping it was a male. It was.

"Omf," he muffled, loosening his grip slightly and that was all she needed. She brought her elbow up and smashed it against his nose. He stumbled back a little before recovering and landing a punch at jaw and slamming her against the wall.

His fingers came around her jaw, squeezing her cheeks together to block her airflow and to keep her head steady, the chlorophyll cloth coming down on her again.  
Rachel brought her leg up and kicked him in the gut as hard as she could. He let out a curse, falling backwards and she lunged for the dagger.

Garbbing it Rachel whirled around and pointed it at the person.

His face was covering in a black ski mask but he held his hands out in front of him in surrender.

"Who the hell are you?" It would've sounded more fierce if she hadn't been panting and blowing her bangs out of her face.  
However, Rachel was sure it wasn't a Cavan, for they would have weapons on them, and she was immensely relieved.

"I wish we haven't gotten this ugly Rachel," the man said. She frowned.

"How the hell do you know my name? Take off the mask. Try something and I'll plunge this in your gut."

He nodded and slowly removed the black fabric covering his face, revealing a young, handsome features with greenish-gray eyes and dark, wavy hair. He looked like Daniel, and Rachel didn't like that comparison.

"You weren't suppose to see me," he turned his palm upwards and shrugged as if apologizing.

She narrowed her eyes at his arrogant smirk. "Well, I did. Tell me who you are or I'll call the police."

He laughed and it was an attractive sound, coming out of attractive teeth and attractive lips and attractive dimples and…

_He freaking broke into your house and tried to drug you!_

"I'll be gone by the time you even got to your phone. Nice dagger you got there. Haven't seen anything like it." He observed.

Rachel glanced down, securing her grip and making sure the symbol was covered by her palm.  
"Look person. I'm going to ask you this one more time," she said in a low, steady voice. "Why were you breaking to my house, who are you, and how do you know my name?"

"That's a lot of questions," he smiled but it faded quickly from the murderous look she shot him.  
"I wasn't technically breaking into your house. Well, I was, but I didn't set any alarms off as you could tell and I was just checking some stuff out. Doing surveillance."

"Do you have a court order for that?"

"Well, no."

"I should throw you in jail. What were you 'checking out'." Rachel demanded.

"This." He held out a rock that was cut in half and chiseled on the inside. Brilliant blue crystals gleamed and shone, bathing the dark corridor in light even brighter than the glow of the sun.

Rachel gasped. "No! Give that back!" She lunged for it but he moved quick and easily, suddenly appearing behind her. "As you can see," he smiled. "I went easy on you."

"Please!" She cried dashing for it. "You don't understand! That's special to me! It was in -"

"A box, labeled Mathew Morgan," the man finished. "Who was a good friend of mine."

"What?" Rachel stopped dead in her tracks. "No. You've got the wrong man. Matt didn't have -"

"Oh yes he did. In Eloria."

Rachel felt like the wind got knocked out of her. She covered her mouth and slid down the wall, collapsing to the ground.

"You – you're -"

"An Eloric," the man finished, sitting beside her but keeping a good distance.

Rachel felt as if she was going to puke. "Get out – get out of my house. I don't want anything to do with you – you -"

"Aliens?" The man finished for her once again.

"Yes!"

"Funny, since your daughter is one."

"No! No she's not! Don't you dare say that!"

"Rachel, you've made a grand mistake! Keeping that from her, for eighteen years! She not only deserves to know, she _needs_ to know. Because she is in danger."

The man knelt before her and Rachel felt herself melt under the intense gaze of the liquid green pools of his irises.

"You don't know that," she argued quietly. "I kept her safe all these years. Nothing has ever happened to her."

"Well it is now. Do you know my son, Daniel Smith?"

"Daniel?" She gasped, seeing the resemblance. "Wait, so he's actually -"

"No, not my biological son. His real name is Zachary Goode. And my real name is Joeseph Soloman. But I go by Andrew."

"Pleasure to meet you," her voice remebled.

He smiled, a dark and dangerous smile. "As I was saying, Zach got his asset a few weeks ago."

Rachel gasped again. "No!"

"So he told you about it then. Is there anything he hasn't told you?"

Rachel shook her head and for the first time, smiled slyly. "I'm very good a persuading."

Joe looked at her with appreciation. "I'm sure you are."

"He also left me with a journal too," she said quickly because they way he was looking at her gave her shivers all over.

"Yes, I know about the journal. After all, I've watched him write in it, every night. Anyway, as I was saying, this means the legacies live. And the Cavan is getting desperate to eliminate these young powerful Elorics."

"But Cammie is a half. Will she get her asset too?" She was afraid of his answer. After all, Cammie was always telling her how 'she can disappear into thin air'."

"Yes. I've did some research and the Cameron family line has Eloric blood. After taking some strands of hair from Cammie's brush -"

"You – _what?_" Rachel shrieked.

Joe shrugged. "I needed it and I just couldn't ask for her blood sample."

"No I mean this isn't the first time you came here?" She demanded.

He shrugged again and had the decency to look sheepish. "The security you installed sucks. Or I'm just that good."

Rachel rolled her eyes with disgust. "And what have you found in your creepy, unauthorized search?"

"That Cammie has more Eloric blood in her than human. Even half's get many gifts regular humans don't have, and Cammie will get even _more_. She's like a full-Eloric. So she'll definitely be on their radar."

She bit her lip. "How am I going to tell her Joe? She'll think I'm crazy. I shouldn't have kept it from her."

"That's what I hear."

She glared at him. "It's that's what I _said_ alien! Get your English straight! I was just trying to protect her."

"You would've protected her more if you told her. What happened when she gets her asset and doesn't know what's going on? What happens when that attracts the attention of Cavans? They will hunt for her like bloodhounds."

The thought sent Rachel into an mere anxiety-attack. "She doesn't even have a protector! Matt was suppose to be her Celostan…"

"_You_ can be her guardian."

"But I'm just a human!"

"A human that could totally kick ass! All you need is some real training and you're a seasoned professional!"

Rachel sighed. "So I'm really going to have to tell Cammie, right?"

"Tell me what?"

They both jumped and looked up to see Cammie standing at the top of the stairs, looking suspicious.

"Cammie, honey your home!" Rachel stood up; transforming the dagger into a pen and Joe followed, hiding the crystal under his shirt.

"Hello Cammie," Joe smiled.

"Hi," she answered shortly, looking at the two of them skeptically and Rachel realized how this must look, with the two of them all sweaty, hair messed up and guilty looks in their eyes.

"Um, I should go. Remember what I said Rachel," he gave her a meaningful look that looked damn sexy and sauntered past Cammie and out the door.

Cammie leaned against the wall. "So tell me what?"

When Rachel didn't answer, her eyes widened. "Mother, who was that? You're not pregnant are you?"

"Oh for the love of God, _NO_!"

"Then _what?!_"

"He told me to tell you…that…um, that was Za-Daniel's father."

Cammie crossed her arms. "So…? Why was he here?"

"To return something," Rachel said quickly. "Ugh, I smell like a ripe July tomato. I think I'll go take a shower."

Cammie watched her mother high tail to her room and shook her head with disbelief. Once upon a time, Rachel Morgan had been an astounding liar. Joe Soloman seemed to have shaken her off her game.

* * *

"Andrew? I'm home," Zach called pushing open the door to his house.

He held it open for Bex who smiled and whispered, "what a gentleman," before stepping inside. Zach followed, hoping Joe had gotten the message at the mention of his fake name.

"Daniel?" Luckily, Joe caught on but Zach could hear the confusion in his voice. "Thank goodness you're here, I just wanted to talk to you about…oh."

The '_oh'_ was when Bex stepped into view. She smiled prettily. "Hullo , my name is Bex Baxter," she introduced in her posh British accent and holding out her arm.

"Pleased to meet you Bex," Joe raised an eyebrow in question at Zach while he shook Bex's hand. He immediately pulled away at the briefest contact and narrowed his eyes at her. She just looked innocently back.

"I'm just going to help Bex get started on English. She's new here," Zach said a bit awkwardly, not missing the small uncomfortable exchange between them.

"Ah," Joe said, this time both eyebrows rising. "Where do you live Bex?"

"Um, Darthome Lane," Bex replied.

"That's a bit far from here. Especially the school."

She shrugged. "My parents like secluded places."

"Your parents? You live with your parents?" Joe blurted out a bit surprised before he could stop himself.

"Um yeah Dad. Who else is she suppose to live with?" Zach looked at him like he was crazy. "And what's with the interrogation anyway? Sorry Bex." He grabbed her hand and pulled her upstairs.

Bex allowed him to do so, but dragged her feet just slightly so she could get a good look at Joe. She smiled conceitedly and mouthed , "I know everything," before disappearing up the stairs.

Joe narrowed his eyes. He needed to tell Zach. About everything.

But he didn't get the chance to, because Zach told him he was dropping Bex off an hour later, and then didn't return until a _long _time. Much longer than a simple ride home.

"Turn left onto the intersection and right on the next road," Bex instructed.

"You said you lived on Darthome Lane," Zach said continuing to drive straight.

"Oh come on," Bex pouted. "Your no fun. Weren't you curious about where I was taking you?"

"No. I don't have time for that."

" Why? Where are you going? My parents won't be home you know. You can spend some quality time with me," her voice suddenly turned very seductive as she ran a hand down Zach's chest.

He shrugged her off. "Don't do that."

"Why?" She was smiling coquettishly. "I know you want me _Daniel,_" she whispered putting her lips close to his ear.

Zach jerked away, pulling over. He turned to look at her with a fierce look in his eyes that was a total turn on.

"Look Baxter, let me make something clear. I. Have. A. Girlfriend. You know that, but yet, you still flirt with me. I'm cool with being friends but something more than that? I'm not interested."

"I'm not looking for a relationship or any sort of commitment. All I want to do is have some fun. I don't like the messy feelings like jealousy or love. No strings attached. Think about it." Bex insisted.

"I already thought about it. No."

"So you thought about…us?" Bex whispered, twisting in her seat and pushing her body closer.  
"You can't deny that you're really attracted to me. I know you are. If you're worried about your little girlfriend to find out, then you don't have to. I know how to keep a secret."

Zach felt sick. "Hell no."

He started driving again. "I said friends or nothing."

"You're _lying_," Bex sang, smiling to herself. He pulled up to her house, which was indeed very secluded. "Last chance to spend some quality time with me? You won't regret it." She tried to meet his eye but he refused.

Zach shook his head. "Maybe later."

Bex frowned. "You are into me. You are _so_ into me Daniel. I'll prove it." She declared stepping out and closing the door behind her.

Zach shook his head but he couldn't help but smile at the girl's persistency. It was futile. He was in love with Cammie and Elorics only love once.

* * *

Zach took a deep breath and rang the doorbell before kneeling down on the porch. He held his breath as he heard the door unlock and slowly creak open.

"Oh my," Rachel jumped at the sight of the boy on one knee at her door because for a second she thought it was Joe.  
Which was really, really ludicrous because she doesn't have the slightest infatuation of the tall, dark and handsome man. Not the slightest.

"Mrs. Morgan!" Zach stood up hastily, feeling his face redden. He hadn't been counting on _that _to happen. "Is Cammie home?"

Rachel parted her lips to say yes, but then her earlier conversation with Joe came flooding back and she looked at the charmingly handsome boy in front of her in a new, uneasy light.

"Well, _actually_ she's…well, she's…"

"Mom?" A feminine voice called from inside the house and both Rachel and Zach sighed. For different reasons though. Zach because he was relieved, and Rachel because she was disappointed.

"One moment," She smiled tightly, disappearing behind the door.

Zach took another deep breath and knelt yet again, his pulse racing a mile a minute. He had never done something this cliché and corny for a girl before and he was scared he might screw this up.

"It's Daniel," Rachel called to her daughter.

Cammie perked up. "Really?"

She jumped up from her bed and raced towards the door, before backtracking and checking her appearance in the mirror. After a quick finger-brush through her hair, she again sprinted towards the door, yanking it open.

Cammie's breath caught at the sight of him kneeling down on her doorstep, a bouquet of red roses in his hand, smiling angelically up at her.

"Oh Zach…" she whispered so her mother wouldn't hear. He set the roses down and stood up, taking Cammie's hands and pulling her against him.

"I wanted to say sorry about earlier today," he whispered, cool breath making her eyelashes flutter.  
"I didn't mean to make you angry Gallagher Girl. I promise you, you have _nothing_ to worry about me moving on to another girl. You're the only girl I ever see, and every time I look at you, I fall harder and harder and I just - "

He was cut off by Cammie throwing her arms around his neck and kissing the heck out of him.

"No I'm sorry. I overreacted and I don't care if you another girl goes to your house because I trust you and I really, really like you." She suddenly unattached herself from him and took a step back, lowering her eyes to the ground.

"Cammie?" Zach touched her cheek, worried at her sudden distance.

"Zach," she whispered, still not looking at him. "I think I love you."

She wasn't watching him sigh in relief and break out into the largest grin anyone has ever seen on him. He looked up at the moon-struck sky and thanked his lucky stars that he wasn't the only one who felt so strongly.

Cammie taking the silence the wrong way, looked up shyly, an embarrassed blush starting to form. "I'm sorry I -"

This time he cut her off, placing a soft, loving kiss on her lips.

"I _know_ I love you, but if you only think you do…" he took a step back and Cammie let out a whimper of protest. Zach smirked.

"Fine! I know I love you too! Now come back," she pleaded.

"How can I say no to that face," Zach murmered, more than happy to melt his lips back to hers. They were so captivated with each other, they didn't notice the silhouette watching them from afar.

* * *

**So a little Zammie for y'all! And also some Joe/Rachel! How so you like it? Also…**

**I HAVE A VERY IMPORTANT QUESTION(S)!**

**1) I want Grant to be something like Number Nine. How can I put him in the story?**

**2) I had no intention of making Macey and Liz a couple, but do YOU want them to be or should they be straight? Because Jonas is going to be coming soon.**

**PLEASE ANSWER! Because I need some help!**

**So yeah, review pretty please!**

**Love,  
Plain is Prettiest  
(According to Zach and I)**


	9. Chapter 9

**OMG GUYS! SO SORRY I HAVENT UPDATED IN SUCH A LOOOONG TIME! I REALLY AM! SHOUT OUTS TO :**

**truesoul 10 ****I spy a thief xo **

**Zach-Goode's-Girl xxx ****FreshKicks**

**Annie ****Gg**

**Lanoon ****Uknowiloveu**

**Kara ****ninoviski**

**Bunniez ****Saphira 121**

**Guest **

**_SPECIAL CREDITS TO I SPY A THEIF XO AND NINIVOSKI! _  
They gave me ideas and without them, this update would've been way longer! **  
**_ALSO GG01! _  
She (I'm assuming your a girl) PMed me and basically told me to get my ass moving but in a much politer, nicer way.**  
**Thank you to everyone who gave me ideas, reviews and feedbacks. They were all really good and different. **

**Disclaimer : As you know, I don't own anything.**

* * *

There was music. Such beautiful piano music. It was soft, slow and romantic. Zach didn't know where it was coming from, but it fitted the atmosphere perfectly.

Seriously, it was so cliché.

It was a beautiful summer night and Zach found himself barefoot on the beach wearing white pants and an unbuttoned white shirt that was billowing behind him.

The waves lapped gently against the shore and moonlight flecked the caps of waves. The starts twinkled and shined in a way that wasn't possible anymore in L.A, but it did tonight and it reminded Zach of Cammie's eyes.

Sure enough, there was a girl sitting on the warm, gritty sand that almost looked like snow in the nighttime.

She was wearing a pretty, plain white dress, her long legs curled under her arms and feet dipped into the shallow water. She was facing her back to him so Zach only saw long blond hair tumbling down her back and blowing behind her, even though there was no breeze.

Zach smiled to himself. It was Cammie, ofcourse. Nobody could ever look as angelic as her. He sat down beside her, but she angled herself away, blond hair covering her face in that shy way Cammie only ever does.

"Waiting for someone?" he asked in a husky voice, rough with desire.

"You, I've been waiting for you all my life Zach." Normally, those words would lift his spirits to the heavens. But the voice was wrong. Instead of that sweet, soft, clear voice, this one was more luscious, more sexy with a lilt of English heritage.

"Camme?" Zach reached for her, touching a lock of sunshine hair. To his surprise, it seemed…loose. He tugged and it fell easily off her head, revealing a mane of dark chocolate brown curls. She turned her head and Zach stared into caramel brown eyes.

"We are alike, you and I. Cammie is a dead end. It'll never work. Be with me. Stay with me. Want me." The girl whispered in his ear.

His breathing hitched. "I want you Bex." He whispered. "I want to stay with you, be with you."

She smiled that dimply smile and turned around so she was on all fours, crouching on top of him. "Good," she breathed in his ear, running her lips against his jaw and kissing down on his neck.

Zach didn't seem to be stopping her. In fact, he cupped her face in his hands and pressed his lips onto hers. She straddled her long legs around him and ran her hands across his bare chest. He shivered as they kissed even harder, more passionately, full of-

* * *

"What the hell?" Zach gasped sitting up. He looked at his clock. Four pm? Since when did he take naps?

He swung his legs to the side of his bed and sat there for a minute taking a deep breath. His hair was matted to his forehead and sweat trickled down his back in the way someone experienced a nightmare. But that was a nightmare indeed.

Why would he dream about such a thing?

Zach shuddered. He didn't want to remember it. He didn't want to think of it ever again. If that's the only thing he could dream about, then he'll stop sleeping all together.

Zach couldn't imagine ever leaving Cammie. Or of someone ever replacing her. And especially not _Bex._

No freaking way in hell.

Zach stood shakily to his feet and made his way to the shower, hoping the hot water would clear his head. Anyway, he had a date with Cammie at the carnival to get ready for.

"Show off."

Zach smirked charmingly at his girlfriend as he nailed all ten targets spot on and won a teddy bear. He gave it to Cammie.

She rolled her eyes at his antics but smiled affectionately as they wandered around the carnival hand in hand.

"What do you want to do now babe?" Zach asked letting go of her hand, only to slip his arm around her waist.

Cammie did the same smiling coyly. "Babe?" She asked skeptically.

"Mhmm," Zach grinned bashfully and ducked his head into her fruity smelling hair. "I'm trying it out. What do you think?" He asked, inhaling her scent.

"I kind of like it,"Cammie admitted shyly.

"Really?" He turned to look at her grinning even wider and she blushed.

Zach Goode had two kinds of smiles, Cammie had come to learn. When it's a crooked smile/smirk it's cocky and mocking. When it's a closed lip smile spreading equally from side to side, it's genuine and sweet.

She hardly ever saw the sweet smile. He always seemed to be laughing at her about something.

"Let's go over there Muffin!" Cammie exclaimed, grabbing his hand and dragging him to the basketball shooting booth.

"Muffin?" Zach visibly cringed as he allowed his girlfriend to pull him along. "Now that's just mean. I'm more of a really yummy cupcake don't you think?"

* * *

"Hey Beautiful," the boy at the booth leered at Cammie. "Here to play with some balls?" He chuckled to himself. "Well you can certainly score some with me."

Zach's jaw dropped. He knew they were together, judging from the way their fingers were intertwined and yet he still had the nerve to flirt with his girlfriend. Not many guys had the balls to do that. Zach had a dangerous vibe to him.

But this guy was pretty impressive for mortal standards. The sun bleached tips of his tousled mocha hair caught light when he moved. His eyes were a sparkling ocean deep blue and a playful large smile with dimples was etched on his light, richly tanned face.

He had a build of a soldier fresh out of boot camp, with a hulking large figure and enough muscle on his arms to feed a dozen lions.

It was obvious he was very confident about his looks, much like Zach, but it was also obvious that he was a pervert and a player.

"Excuse me?" Cammie gasped, seeming completely oblivious to his attractiveness. "I came here to have a good time shooting hoops with my boyfriend, but your face and your presence just sucked the life out of everything. Talk to me like that and nobody will ever get to play balls with you again, asshole." She hissed, starting to leave again.

Zach couldn't help but smirk. That was his girl.

"Oh come on, it was just a joke!" The boy called. "You already paid with tickets and I'm not giving them back!"

"What is his problem?" Zach grumbled, getting pissed.

Cammie put a hand on his arm. "Let's just leave."

"So soon?"

Zach and Cammie both sighed in unison, making them laugh at each other before turning around and coming face to face with the two people they probably hated the most. Josh-the-Jackass and Bex-the-Bitch. Together. They make a wonderful couple.

"What do you two want?" Cammie snapped.

"Aw Cam don't be like that," Josh smiled, the smile that always made her heart race. "All we want to do is hang out."

"Woah, woah, woah." Zach stepped in, literally stepping between them. "Did you say _hang out?_" He repeated, hoping her heard wrong.

"Yes Daniel." Bex said primly. "Meaning spending time with in a certain location or with certain people. Often referred as chilling, relaxing, go out with."

"We don't need a smart ass definition." Cammie muttered, glaring at the cappuccino skinned girl.

Bex ignored her, staring on as if she never talked. Cammie wanted to punch her.

"Comes from the formal meaning of "hang out": to protrude or stick out. Hence, the use of "out" for public. Not to be confused with "hang with", which is an umbrella term that includes socializing privately, code term of "making out."

She smiled stunningly. "Maybe you can "hang with" me sometime Daniel."

"Hell no." Zach snapped, looking away. He couldn't meet her caramel eyes, not after the dream he had today. And the way Bex was smiling at him…it was like she already knew.

"Sorry, but me and my boyfriend would prefer it to be-"

Cammie was cut off by a monstrous boy squeezing into their little circle.

"Hanging out, yes! I completely agree!"

They all blinked in shock as the stranger came out of nowhere. Except Bex. She was just checking out his built figure and chiselled face. That girl had no limits.

"Excuse me?" Cammie stammered.

"Aw come on, you know me!" He grinned at Cammie with blinding white teeth. "We had a wonderful conversation at the Basketball booth."

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" Zach snarled, casually wrapping his arm around his girlfriend's waist and pulling her closer towards him.

"My shift it over," he informed them. "And you all seem like a friendly bunch. So I was wondering if I could _hang out._"

Josh was skeptical. Cammie's face was pinched in distaste. Zach scowled, a major _get the hell away from me_ written on his forehead. Bex just smiled, looking like a Cheshire cat. She couldn't believe her luck.

"Of course. Like I always say, the more the merrier. I'm Bex."

"Grant."

Cammie and Zach exchanged the same annoyed look. It was as if the world was out to get them.

* * *

"Ooh, let's go to the Haunted Hay Ride!" Grant yelled, looking even more excited than an eight year old on Christmas Day. Zach couldn't believe his immaturity.

Josh and Bex exchanged a glance. She shrugged. "Why not? It's not like anything could scare me." Bex said, flipping her brown curls and sauntering in front of them with her hips swinging and ass shaking.

Grant's eyes followed her lower body as she moved, letting out a low wolf whistle. "I always like a confident woman. Better in the bed." He looked back at Cammie and grinned. "Don't be jealous babe, I'm saving my bed all for you."

Zach growled watching the fair-haired boy stroll in with Josh following like a lost puppy.

Cammie sighed. "This sucks." She said softly.

Zach smiled slightly. "We can still ditch."

"Cammie!" Grant called just as Bex shrieked "Daniel!"

"Come on we're waiting for you!"

Zach exhaled heavily. "Or not."

"Oops, sorry." The guy working smiled apologetically. "You waited too long. There's no more space on this hay stack. Two people are going to have to go on the next one."

The only two people left standing were Bex and Zach. He groaned. This day was not going well.

"Why didn't you tell us before?" Zach demanded, noting a brief smile flash on the vixen's face. Had she planned this? But how?

"I'll get off," Cammie said quickly, but she appeared to be trapped between Grant and Josh, both who were big boys with 200 hundred pounds of meat on them. She couldn't squeeze herself out fast enough.

"You two are going to have to take the next one," the worker confirmed Bex and Zach, securing the straps and closing the gate and leading the two of them out of the narrow, dark passage.

Zach didn't glance at the striking girl beside him. He waved to Liz who was working at the Fortune Telling booth and smirked at Macey who looked miserable at the Kissing Booth, wishing he was with any other girl than Bex. He wished he was with Cammie.

His poor, beautiful Gallager Girl, stuck in the dark with her douchebag ex-boyfriend and a perverted asshole. He hoped she was okay.

"Ooh Daniel let's go on that ride while we wait!" Bex exclaimed, clinging onto his muscular arm and pointing to a ride. Zach followed her gaze. The Tunnel of Love.

He glared at her, shaking her off her arm. "I'd rather sit on the bench instead."

Bex pouted, but followed him, plopping down so close she was practically on his lap.

"You know what? I'm actually kind of hungry," Zach said, knocking her legs off him and standing up abruptly. "I think I'll get a corndog."

"My thoughts exactly," Bex smiled, standing up and walking ahead, once again shaking her ass in his face.

Zach clenched his jaw with frustration and shoved his hands in his pockets. He knew Bex wasn't desperate or love-sick or anything. Girls that looked like her never stayed with one guy. He knew she was amused with his frustration, enjoying that fact that he was angry.

Although usually, any girl would be falling at his feet, swooning but there was a rare occasion Zach would encounter a bad girl like her. He won't give her the pleasure of torturing him.

So Zach kept on a cool face, following her but still couldn't help but stare with longing at the Haunted Hay Ride. He wanted nothing more but to get back to his golden-haired beauty.

* * *

"Bathroom."

It was the first excuse in the book. But Cammie was desperate. The Hay Ride was horrid, being mashed up between the two irritating boys.

Her intense phobia of blood and ghoulish monsters didn't help the matters and Cammie found herself clinging onto her ex-boyfriend Josh. He would glance at her and smile with his hair falling into his blue eyes and for a moment Cammie, would forget what a jerk he was and how he had practically ruined her life last year.

She supposes it felt nice, after all, she was his girlfriend last year, but not nearly as content as it would've been if it was Zach.

_Zach._ She thought with a large smile threatening to spill onto her beautiful face.

Where was her boyfriend? She expected him to be waiting outside but he was nowhere to be found. Neither was Bex. That wasn't a good sign. The girl practically pounced on him whenever she sees him. Can you blame Cammie for wanting to stay away from her boyfriend as far as possible?

"I'll walk you," Grant and Josh both offered.

They stood between her, Josh at about six foot and Grant about four or five inches taller, making Cammie feel as small as a five year old. Girls sent her looks of jealous admiration but Cammie was used to it ever since she became Zach's girlfriend.

"No thanks, I'm capable of going by myself. I know it's just your excuse to sneak into the girl's washroom." Cammie joked.

Grant grinned. "You know me so well Cammie. We're perfect for each other."

"Hey! Back off!" Josh exclaimed, glaring at Grant.

"Dude? Have you forgotten? She's your _ex_- girlfriend. Hence the _EX."_

"But I still have a boyfriend," Cammie reminded them, exasperated by the two annoying, extremely cute boys.

"Pfft. You have a sorry excuse of a boyfriend Cam," Grant teased, although they all knew it wasn't true. Zach could probably kick his ass without breaking a sweat.

"He's nothing compared to me. But Jimmy over here…may need some work."

"Hey! It's JOSH okay? And me? Versus Smith? Total defeat."

"Yeah, I know your such a failure."

"I MEANT DANIEL!"

Cammie sighed, hurrying away from the mindless bickering. In a way, she was totally flattered that three boys were after her, but her choice was clear. All she wanted was Zach.

_Where on earth could he be?_

Cammie wondered doing a three sixty. The carnival was huge. Where would she start first?

Something made her wander to the Haunted Hay Ride.

It was as if a compelling force was pushing her towards it and she had no control of her body, just letting her feet go wherever they wanted to.

Two figures were behind the building. Cammie knew there was no way Zach would be caught with Bex, in a dark corner such as this one, but she took a step, getting a closer look.

A ray of light fleeted past as the sun was getting ready to dip and Cammie gasped not believing her eyes.

Bex had Zach pinned against the wall. His hand was at the small of her back, holding her close as their lips moved in a passionate frenzy.

Cammie stepped back, putting her fist in her mouth to stop from screaming. Tears blurred her vision and was on the verge of spilling as she turned around and ran as fast as her wobbly knees would let her.

_I knew it. I just knew it._

People glanced at the distraught blonde girl as she hugged herself tight; shivering even though it wasn't cold.

Cammie started walking when she was a safe distance away, thinking about the boy who broke her heart even though it just brought more pain.

She always had her doubts.

Bex was dazzling, funny, daring, seductive. Zach was gorgeous, cocky, mischievous, witty. Cammie was just herself, average looks and shy, boring personality. In this triangle, it was her that was the weak one. How could she ever think to compete with someone like Rabecca Baxter?

The goddess-esque girl always gave her smug looks, the message written on her face quite clear : _I always win. You're a fool for trying to go against me._

What a fool Cammie was. Another set of tears fell and she brushed them away irritably.

Boys were the same. They never loved anything but getting some. She will never open her heart to anyone ever again. She will never cry for a boy like Zachary Goode after this moment.

"Cammie?"

She heard his voice and froze. Her ever traitorous body failed her, heart racing at his lovely, velvet voice, body turning to run and jump in his arms.

_No_. Cammie forced herself, grounding her feet and continuing to walk, speeding her legs as she sensed him getting closer.

_No. Stay away. I hate you._

But again, her stupid heart just had to betray her.

* * *

"Cammie?"

She stopped for a second, turning her head slightly before deciding better of it and continuing to power walk through the carnival.

Zach frowned, knowing she heard and started to follow her.

"Cammie! Hold up!" He called, weaving through the hordes of people in effort to catch up with her. If anything she started walking even faster.

Zach shoved people out of his path, running towards the golden haired girl.

"Gallagher Girl." Zach breathed, grabbing her hand and spinning her towards him. His mouth fell into a perfect "O" as he became face to face with his tear-streaked girlfriend.

"What do you want _Zachary_?" She spit his name with such venom it jerked throughout his whole body.

"Cammie," Zach whispered again, eyes filled with pain at the sight of the water droplets running down her flawless cheeks. "What happened?" He tried pulling her towards him, only to have her shake off his grasp.

"Don't." She snapped.

"Don't what?" Zach asked softly, confusion gracing his features.

"Don't stand there pretending you don't know what the fuck I'm talking about!" Cammie screamed losing her control with fists clenched to her sides.

People glanced at the couple weirdly. Zach ignored them and took a step closer, lowering his voice. "Babe, I really don't know what the fuck you're talking about."

She flinched, the anger and hurt inside of her finally bubbling its way out. "My name is Cammie!" She yelled. "Don't call me that, or Gallagher Girl or anything else! You don't have the right to call me nicknames anymore! And cut the bullshit Zach. You _know _what you did and yet you're still pretending to act clueless!"

"_Cammie_," Zach stressed, sounding desperate. "What did I do wrong? Please_ tell me."_

Cammie shook her head with disgust. "You're such a bastard."

She started to turn around.

"Hey!" Zach lunged for her again, trapping both wrists in a steel grip. "Don't you even think of walking away from me before we clear up what exactly I did wrong here!" He snapped, starting to feel annoyed.

"You're going to make me say it aren't you!" Cammie cried. She took a deep breath, steadying her sobs.

"You and Bex?" She bawled out. "You told me nothing was going on between you two and what do I see? You, shoving her tongue down her throat!"

Zach was so shocked; he took a step back, blinking stupidly. "Me? _With Bex_? Kissing? What the hell? Who told you that?"

"I saw it with my own eyes," Cammie snapped, not believing the nerve of the boy in front of her. How long was he going to deny this?

"I've always known you would look better with Bex. You should've told me you liked her. I can't believe I had to find out like this!" The thought brought another round of hysteria.

"Cam I-"

"I don't want to hear it. You are such an asshole. Everyone told me you were going to break my heart but I didn't listen. Now I realize I should have. I'm done with you Zachary – Daniel whatever your name is. I don't want anything to do with you anymore."

"Cammie please-"

She was already gone.

* * *

"REBECCA BAXTER!" Zach yelled from across the carnival. He ignored the odd and annoyed looks he was getting from the people around him and stalked to the cappuccino skinned beauty with a livid expression etched on his handsome face.

"Jeez Danny," she turned around with a flirty, playful smile on her face. "I'm right here."

Zach grabbed her wrist roughly and pulled her closer, the fire evident in his dreamy emerald eyes. "What the hell did you say to Cammie?" He hissed.

"Nothing!" Bex exclaimed innocently. "Why?"

"She thinks I cheated on her. She said she saw _me_ make out with _you_."

Bex didn't like the way he said that. Filled with such disgust, like it was absolute ludicrous. She was absolutely gorgeous. Her lips could put Anne Hathaway's to shame. Any straight boy would faint with happiness at the chance of kissing her. So why wouldn't _he_?

"But you did, didn't you?" Bex countered, smiling coyly. "_In your dreams." _

Zach narrowed his eyes. "How did you…"

"Because I _know_ you want me Zachary," Bex sang, pure triumph in her voice.

His eyes widened. "You just called me Zachary," he whispered.

Bex blinked. "I-Cammie told me-"

"No. She didn't." Zach snarled. The sheer anger and fury in his veins finally sharpened his senses realized something he should've figured out a long time ago.

"It's you!" Zach burst out. "It's _your _voice I heard wasn't it? It's _you_ who was at the beach party, disguised as Cammie. It's _you_ put the dream in my mind. It's _you_ who made Cammie see us kissing!" Zach got angrier and angrier at every lie unveiled.

She was an Eloric and didn't even bother to tell him. Instead, she played games with him.

"WHY?" He roared. "Why do you hate Cammie? What do you have against us? Tell me you bitch, TELL ME!"

"LET ME FUCKING TALK FIRST!" Bex screamed back, her temper rising to the limit. She shook off the vice grip he had on her. Red welts circled her wrist from his steel hold.

"I was trying to protect you asshole! Can't you fucking sense it? SHE'S NOT HUMAN!"

Zach staggered back, shock temporarily overtaking his rage. "What?"

"Alright, alright break it up."

The _last _person Zach felt like seeing was Grant lumber his way over. "They're Star Wars freaks," he explained to baffled people overhearing Zach and Bex's bizarre conversation.

One flash of Grant's honey melting smile and all was forgotten. He casually swung his beefy arms around the two of them and led them out of the carnival, to the forest behind.

Once they were nestled between trees Grant turned to look at them with a stern expression. It was a strange sight to see on his normally playful, teasing face.

"Okay what the fuck was going on back there? Have your Celostans not teach you anything? Why the hell were you screaming your asses off? To let every Cavan scouting you hear?"

"It was his fault," Bex muttered childishly.

Zach let it slide. "What do you mean Cammie isn't human?" He said through gritted teeth. "And if you're toying with me again, I swear I'll-"

"I'm not okay?" Bex snapped.

"Wait, wait, wait. Do you mean he didn't know his own girlfriend is a Dimetis?" Grant asked, a grin on his face, looking back to his usual douchebag self.

"What's a Dimetis?" Zach asked stupidly, making Grant burst out laughing.

"Dude, is this guy even Eloric or what?"

Zach's rage heightened fiercely. He was already so angry at Bex and seeing Grant's stupid face with his stupid remarks was the last straw of his self-control. He was sure going to show him what an Eloric he was.

"Fuck off," Zach glowered raising his hand. A bolt of molten energy shot out of his palm, aimed right at Grant's heart.

Grant raised an eyebrow and grinned, raising his hand as well and deflected it off some kind of invisible force.

"That all you got _Avenger_?" Grant mocked skeptically. He flicked his hand as if swatting a fly and Zach flew back, crashing against a tree, making it fall of its roots and into the ground. He groaned painfully as the sharp contour of the bark cut through the fabric of his shirt and into his skin.

"And I'm just getting started." Grant rubbed his hands together and the bark stripped off the trunk into razor sharp edges like a blade of a dagger, pointed all at Zach.

"OKAY ENOUGH GOD DAMMIT!" Bex yelled, holding her arms out in a freeze motion and everything literally _froze. _

Zach hated how advanced they were. Why hadn't Joe taught him all that?

_It comes naturally as the flow of the tide and the whistle of the wind._

_My ass._ Zach grumbled, still in his frozen state.

"We don't have time for your dumb ego-boosting boy fights alright? So get your shit together, both of you." She swivelled her head to glare severely at each of them.

"Now if I unfreeze you, will you create a hurricane or be good little boys?"

_Stupid thing to ask when we can't even move!_

Bex realized this. "Oh," she giggled. "Well I suppose I should unbind you…but …"

_BUT?!_

"You guys look so ridiculous right now. I should take a picture,"Bex smirked, letting out a laugh.

Zach tried to shoot his most hateful glare. It appeared that Grant was doing the same.

"Alright…alright…"

"Jesus Baxter," Grant scowled. "I'm going to get you for that."

"Please." Bex snorted. "I can kick your ass any day. Which will _not be now."_

She looked at Zach, who had picked himself up and was stretching his stiff joints. Bex tried not to stare at his flexing muscles. God he was so hot.

"So I'm guessing you want an explanation."

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Bex smiled coyly and was about to retort a flirty comment or maybe an innuendo but stopped herself just in time. He wasn't all that fond of her right now, no need to make him even madder.

"I don't know about you, but most Elorics can sense their kind. We can sense Elorics, humans, animals and of course, Cavans. I was tracking you down Zach. I knew there was an Eloric somewhere in California and I was determined to find you. I needed-" Bex swallowed. "I needed guidance after my Celostan died."

Zach softened a bit. That must've been excruciating. He couldn't imagine what he would do if Joe ever died and left him.

"I saw you making friends and hanging out with Cammie. I can do many things, but I especially work with the mind. I can read them, put very realistic images in them, I can make people change their minds, I can speak in their minds too.

Anyway, I was amazed that you were associated with so many people. My Celostan never let me do that. Before I officially met you, I decided to delve into the minds of you friends, to make sure I was prepared.

Everyone was normal, except for Cammie. I couldn't get a read on her. It was very suspicious. I had seen some Cavans before and I felt the same feeling of dread with Cammie. I was scared that she was a Vultus, meaning shapeshifter because Cavans are really, really ugly and she's well…not."

Bex took a deep breath.

"But I noticed the way you looked at her. And I could tell you really like her and it broke my heart that she was manipulating you. So I tried to get between you guys first. But that didn't turn out so well obviously. I'm sorry Zach, I really am. I didn't mean to make you hate me so much, I was just trying to look out for you."

Bex looked at him with sad, wide caramel eyes and Zach felt his anger fade away instantly.  
He sighed. "I don't hate you Bex," he said walking over and wrapping his arms around her. "This clears a lot of stuff up. Thank you and I'm so sorry about your Celostan."

"It's alright," Bex murmered back, voice muffled by his shirt. She breathed in his natural mouth-watering musky scent and fought the butterflies in her stomach.

Zach will never know. No one will ever know that there were many ways Bex could've warned him, or confirmed her suspicions. Bex had _wanted_ to get in between Zach and Cammie.

She was gorgeous. No boy had ever rejected her. She was confident she could steal his heart and at the same time, save him.

Things obviously didn't work out the way they were supposed to.

"How touching," Stupid Grant ruined the moment by clapping sarcastically. "Somebody hand me a tissue."

They broke away from each other and Bex glared at Grant. How could somebody so handsome be so irritating?

But on the other hand, he _was_ very handsome and if Zach wasn't available…

"So what exactly is Cammie?"

"We have established that Cammie is a Dimetis, meaning Half-Blood since your Eloric speaking is even worse than your aim," Grant mocked.

Zach scowled. What the hell is this guy even doing here anyway?

"Who are you to Cammie anyway? You seem too concerned." Zach asked coolly.

"Jealous Goode?" Grant taunted. "Why, I'm Camster's boyfriend that she's been seeing behind your back. She's got one nice rack alright."

"Fucking asshat -" Zach growled lunging for him.

"STOP!" Bex yelled yanking Zach's shirt collar and pulling him back. Her strength was startling.

"You are so damn gullible. Can't you see the jerk is provoking you? He's just Cammie's Celostan and has never talked to her since today."

Grant folded his muscular arms and smirked. "You're no fun Baxter. But it was true about what I said about her rack. I'd tap that."

Zach took a deep breath through his nose, refusing to lose his cool. He'll get his revenge later. When Bex isn't around.

"Well, since you're her Celostan, you must know where she is right?"

"Does Joe always know where you are? I'm her guardian, not a stalker," Grant replied smoothly. "And you call _me_ an asshat."

"Last I saw her running to the washroom while bawling her eyes out because of _someone-_" He coughed at Bex and Zach and they turned their eyes away in shame. "With her little sidekicks following her. But damn, one of those sidekicks, the one with the black hair, I'd-"

"Tap that," Bex interrupted. "We know."

"We've got to find her and explain everything."

As soon as they made it back to the carnival, they were ambushed by a tear-streaked Liz.

"Oh my gosh, I've been looking for you guys everywhere!" She fumbled for her phone, pressing a button and practically screaming, "Macey! I found them at the entrance! Come quick!"

"Liz," Zach stepped forward, gripping the white-blonde's shoulders. "What happened? Where's Cammie?" His voice shook with worry.

Liz started crying again. "Oh Daniel."

"Liz!" Zach shouted, shaking her. "Where. Is. Cammie?!"

"We don't know." A voice said and they turned to see Macey. Grant whistled quietly.

"We were getting cotton candy when Josh came out of nowhere asking if he could speak to Cammie privately. They went behind the circus tent and never came back."

Zach's blood ran cold while Bex swore under her breath.

"When we checked the last place we saw her – behind the tent- there was a piece of paper."

She handed it to Zach, who dropped to his knees after reading it.

"What? What does it say?" Bex and Grant rushed over. They're jaws dropped in shock.

_What a powerful Eloric, just wandering out, unprotected. Even though we can't kill her yet, we can still torture her. Bring the Avenger to us. Everyday wasted, is an everyday worth of pain and torture for the girl. _

_COC_

* * *

**Again, so sorry I haven't updated in such a long time. I was getting writers block and had tons of homework and so much things going on. So yeah. Things are starting to heat up! What do you think? Review please!**

**Love,  
Plain Is Prettiest!  
(At least to Zach Goode and I)**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hi guys! SO um...y'all have no idea how sorry I am for taking a billion years for finally updating! Honestly, I started writing Chapter 10 right after I updated Chapter 9, but I got so many writers blocks and stuff. I like, wrote this chapter at least four times!**  
**Also, my life has been pretty hectic and busy lately so...**

**Anyway, I wont be doing shout outs for this chapter because I really want to get on with the story but I am so, so, so, sooo grateful to all my reviewers and followers and favourite(ers?) and even the people who just simply read my stories. You guys are the freaking bomb!**

_**Also, some things I kind of stole from the book The Power if Six so if anything you read is familiar...that's why. DON'T OWN IT!**_

**DISCLAIMER! I REPEAT I DON'T OWN THE GALLAGHER GIRLS SERIES OR THE LORIEN SERIES! I JUST LOVE EM!**

**IMPORTANT! If you read the AN at the bottom, it will clear some of your questions I frequently got. If you don't...well that's your choice!**

**SO yeah, enjoy :)**

* * *

No. This can't be happening. Not to Cammie. Please not Cammie.

Zach's legs buckled underneath him, no longer having the strength to hold himself up. He sunk to the ground feeling the heavy weight of panic; grief and sheer anger push him down by the shoulders like an anchor sinking from a ship.

He reread the note, bringing forth a fresh wave of anxiety; the thought of his innocent blond haired angel-face being tortured almost sent him into a fit of hyperventilation.

Bex and Grant were swearing beside him. He was so angry at both of them, at Bex for causing Cammie to run away and at Grant, for being a Celostan and not protecting her, but he knew that this was unjust, that this was just the result of the strain his brain was in.

"How could-how could Jimmy -"

"I couldn't get a read on him." Bex said quietly. "I was suspicious, but no very concerned. I'm so sorry Zach, I should've looked into him harder, I should've not-"

"Bex it's okay," Zach amended, "We can't dwell on the what should've been."

Normally, Grant would've laughed at his 80s choice of word: _dwell_. But right now Grant was too worried to have the heart to be playful.

Having the most experience on Earth, he was assigned to Cammie after her father died, knowing she would be in danger even if she was just a Half-Blood. It's been just the first day and he lost her. Nothing screamed failure than that.

"We have to call the police!" Liz shrieked in the background.

The three Elorics whipped around, looking surprised at the sight of Macey and Liz. They've totally forgotten about the two mortals who were the ones to find the note in the first place.

"No!" Grant yelled lunging from the pink glittery phone in Liz's hand.

Her jaw dropped. "What do you mean no? Cammie just got kidnapped and they left a freaky note! We have to tell the police! They can decipher what it means and take fingerprints and-"

"Calm down Lizzie," Macey interrupted.

She was watching Grant, Bex and Zach suspiciously.

"What were you talking about?" She demanded, turning to Bex. "About not getting a read or some shit like that?"

Bex didn't answer. She glanced at Zach in question and he shrugged not knowing what to do.

Macey narrowed her eyes at them. "You know what the note means don't you! There's something you know that you're not telling us!"

Zach fought the urge to roll his eyes. _You don't even know half of it._

She glared at them crossly, turning to pierce her blue eyes at each one of them in turn. He fought the urge to flinch.

There was something powerful about Macey's eyes; maybe it had to do with the vividness of the color.

"Liz give me your phone," Macey barked. Liz looked quizzical, but handed it over quickly.

"Tell me everything you know or I will call the police right now!"

Grant couldn't help it. He chuckled at her weak threat.

"What?" Macey demanded. "What's so funny?"

He shook his head with amusement, trying to keep a straight face but failing terribly.

Macey looked at each one of them again, hoping for some wavering but the three Elorics kept expertly blank faces.

Her fierce expression suddenly turned into one of pure desperation.

"Come on god damn it! What will it take?" She screamed slamming the phone into the ground. The little device split into pieces at the impact.

Liz wasn't thinking about her two hundred dollar phone- smashed. She couldn't help but feel her friend's extreme anxiety as well.

"Please," Liz stepped in, her voice breaking. "We've known Cammie since we were in diapers. We have the right to know – to know anything that you know. Please. We love her more than you do."

She looked up at Zach pleadingly, her face nothing but utter innocence, with her platinum blond hair curling around her heart shaped face, big brown eyes wet and beseeching, lips trembling. Liz radiated goodness and purity and Zach felt himself crumble under her watery stare. It was like looking at a wounded kitten.

"You're right," he found himself saying.

Macey's head shot up from where she was glaring at the ground as did everyone else's in surprise.

Bex sucked in a sharp breath. Grant gaped at him.

_Are you out of your mind?_

He jumped and glared at Bex. He would never get used to that.

_No you get out of _**my**_ mind._ Zach thought to himself, not knowing Bex would hear him.

_Zach, this is serious. They are MORTALS. HUMANS. We can't expose ourselves to them._

_Baxter's right._ Grant boomed.

Zach blinked. _How the hell…?_

_I let him in. All I have to do is touch his hand and it's a threesome._

_Threesome._ Grant chuckled. _Let's get it on baby._

_OH MY GOSH GRANT SHUT UP!"_ Bex screamed and it was like her voice was going to blow their brains to bits. The boys winced.

_Look, they already know too much. Unless any one knows how to erase memories or something then we're going to have to tell them, or risk having the police know._ Zach argued.

It seems as though he was winning.

Bex sighed. _Fine…but if they run away screaming Eloric, I swear I'm going to kill you and hand you over to a Cavan myself Goode._

Zach gulped. He wasn't sure how they would react. They are weak-hearted humans after all.

_Deal. _

"Um hello? Anybody going to talk or are you going to stare at each other like you want a threesome all day?" Macey snapped snottily.

Liz was looking at the three of them suspiciously, trying to figure out what just happened. Her highly advanced brain raced through different options and combinations, but they were all ridiculous and nothing that science could prove.

"Actually, that was Bex's exact words," Grant chuckled.

"Just ignore him," Zach said. He stepped closer to the girls. "You want your answers, you'll get it. But not here."

"Fine." Macey pulled out a pen and paper from her bra and scribbled something down. "Meet Liz and I here in five minutes."

Zach took the paper. "Why do you have that in your bra?"

"Boys always want my number," Macey bragged, smiling stunningly. "So I thought I might as well be prepared and bring it everywhere."

"Hot." Grant said, almost drooling. "Are you prepared with a condom in there too? Cuz you can come with me and bring it in my car baby."

Macey smirked. "Maybe later."

Bex scoffed and rolled her eyes. "And she calls me a slut."

"I at least I go after single men unlike someone who's a homewrecking skank! Speaking of which, how could you have cheated on Cammie with _her_?" Macey demanded, poking Zach's chest.

"I didn't." Zach said quickly. "We'll explain in five minutes. Come on guys let's go."

* * *

"Holy shit." Bex gaped from the passenger's seat at the looming building in awe. "I bet this is even bigger than Bill Gate's mansion!"

"Obviously. She's the Senator's daughter." Zach explained, pulling in her long, long driveway. His shabby Chevy Joe had let him borrow stood out like a sore thumb in this opulent, exquisite atmosphere.

_Beep. Beep._

Zach and Bex looked to where Macey was standing in front of her Mercedes, reaching through the window to honk the horn impatiently.

"What is with you people and staring! Ain't nobody got time for that! Get your ass out of the car and in here!"

Geez, the girl was cranky.

They quickly got out of the car.

"Macey are you home?" Someone called from somewhere in the grand mansion as the five teenagers stepped in the pristine, polished manor.

"Mom?" Macey sounded genuinely surprised.

There was a sound of clicking heels and then a woman emerged from one of the many corridors. Zach watched her in awe, feeling as though he was witnessing Barbie come to life.

Her bleached hair was elaborately styled, not a lash out of face was long and elegant, portraying big blue eyes and cheekbones sharp as a knife; just as Macey seemed to have inherited. But that was the only similarity between them.

This woman seemed fake as can be. Her face was abnormally smooth and flawless, obviously layered with powder and paint, eyes popping with makeup, lips surgically plump and pink.

The tight suit and skirt she was wearing hugged her figure, made to show off her slim waist and large breasts and butt. A thick real diamond necklace hung from her dainty long neck. Seven inch heels made her long, fake tanned legs prominent.

Zach fought in a grimace. So this was the Senator's wife.

"You're home early, and you brought some friends!" Her rich blue eyes turned to each one of them. Zach felt uncomfortable, feeling too male and dirty and real for such a home, only seen in magazines.

"Hi Mrs. McHenry," Liz said.

She smiled, displaying surgically whitened and perfect teeth. "Lizzie! It's been such a long time! You've grown so much!"

"Erm yeah," Macey cut in. "So we're just going to go to my room…"

"Why introduce me to your attractive friends!" Her expression brightened as she took in Bex's beauty and Zach and Grant's handsomeness. It seemed as though she only wanted faces that fit the perfection of her home.

"Um…this is Daniel and Bex and Grant," Macey introduced awkwardly. Why was her mother being like this? She wondered in frustration. Cammie was out there, being tortured and her mother was wasting their time, being all fake cheer and smiles. It was grating.

"Pleasure to meet you. I'm Macey's mom, Mrs. McHenry and Senator's wife."

As if they could forget that.

"But you may call me Cynthia," she walked closer, hugging them as if she knew them. She reeked heavy expensive perfume.

Zach felt her stiffen after she pulled away from the hug. He narrowed his eyes at her slightly uncomfortable expression. Who knew what she was hiding? This place seemed full of surprises.

"So what are you all doing?" Cynthia McHenry asked, skill-fully rearranging her face into the jolly, bright smile.

"Just talking. Can we go now?" Macey snapped, her patience snapping. Growing up as a spoiled only child, she never was one to wait for anything.

"Macey, don't you remember? We have a gathering with your father and the Winters family this evening," Cynthia said in a genuinely shocked tone, like she couldn't believe her daughter would forget.

Macey blinked. "What? No we don't. I checked my agenda. I was free today."

"Well you must have read wrong," her mother replied smoothly. "Now say bye to your friends, we must get ready. You don't want to keep Preston waiting do you? You can talk tomorrow."

"But this is important!" Macey exclaimed. "You can tell Preston to go -"

"Macey Anastasia McHenry," Cynthia scolded but in that same creepily breezy calm tone. "You must go and that is final."

"Mrs. McHenry -" Liz started.

"Ah Lizzy. You're welcome to stay and help Macey get ready. We'll drop you off on the way," She turned to Bex, Grant and Zach and something flashed in her eyes. "I'm sorry, but you must be leaving. Maybe we can schedule another day, perhaps a rain check?" She asked kindly, flashing a dazzling apologetic smile.

But Zach could see behind it. She was a very skilled woman, lying flawlessly. But of course, being a politician's wife, this wasn't surprising.

"Honestly this is Macey's fault. She never acknowledges how busy she really is, being the Senator's daughter. It's quite embarrassing."

"Mom-"

But Cynthia McHenry was already ushering them out.

"It was so nice to meet you; I hope to see you again!"

* * *

Zach, Grant and Bex stood outside the shiny oak doors speechlessly.

Grant satisfied himself with calling Macey's mother with some very creative, vulgar words.

"I think she knew who we were," Bex said as they walked back up the extensive drive way.

"Really?" Zach asked, astonished. "Does everyone here know?"

Bex rolled her eyes. "Don't be such a drama queen. Rachel only knows because she fell in love with one. It's different with Cynthia. She was scared of us. I couldn't see why…"

"It doesn't matter," Grant interrupted. "This is for the best anyway. It got us out of telling mortals about us," he shuddered dramatically.

"They deserve to know," Zach argued.

"Nah, Zachy just melted in a puddle under they're sexy stares. You've got to make up your mind dude. Liking all three of them with NOT turn out well."

Zach glared. Like he needed relationship advice from a walking bag of testosterone.

"Man shut up. All you want is to get in Cammie's pants. Well she's MY girlfriend and if you ever flirt with her again-"

"Okay we get!" Bex exclaimed, throwing her hands up with exasperation. All they ever did was fight over Cammie. Everyone fought over Cammie. Cammie this, Cammie that.

It was giving Bex a massive headache.

Or maybe it was the massive jealousy churning inside of her. The only person who has ever loved her was Grace and she's been dead for years. She's never had any close friends or boyfriends.  
And this Cammie person had it all, wonderful friends, caring mother, two incredibly hot guys head over heels for her, every girls fucking dream. It just wasn't fair.

"We don't have any time for fights okay? We need to focus on finding her fisrt."

"So what now?" Grant asked. "Go to Rachel and tell her daughter has been taken by a group of ancient Martians?"

Zach gulped. Telling your girlfriend's mom the said girlfriend got kidnapped because of you is defiantly not the best impressions.

"Nope," Zach replied. "We go to Joe. He'll know what to do."

* * *

Turns out, Joseph Soloman's reaction was most disappointing.

He was waiting for them at the porch.

"Joe?" Zach asked a little anxiously skipping up the steps. He glanced at the two emergency duffel bags at his feet.

"Get back in the car Zach. There's been Circle activity in this area."

"That's why we came," Zach explained watching Joe pick up the bags and hurry to the car.

"Good." He turned to Bex and Grant. "You two must come with us. We Elorics have to stick together." He disappeared behind the car.

"Actually Joe, we're going after the Circle."

His head popped up. "You're going to _WHAT_?"

Zach winced. Okay maybe the wrong choice of words. He glanced at Bex and Grant who were standing awkwardly at the side. They just shrugged, offering no help at all.

"They kidnapped Cammie." Zach said in a low voice, stepping closer. "So we were hoping you could-"

"There's nothing I can do," Joe interrupted, still staring at Zach with horrorstruck eyes. "There's nothing any of us can do if she's in the hands of the Circle. Now get in the car everybody. The faster we get out of here the better."

"_Joe_."

Zach couldn't believe how he was behaving, void of any reaction.

"_Cammie got kidnapped."_ Zach repeated, hoping it sunk in. After all, Joe knew how much she meant to him.

"She's being tortured right now," his voice wobbled. "The least you can do is just come up with some strategy to save her-"

"Cammie is as good as dead Zach," Joe said without looking at him. "There's no saving her."

Zach's jaw dropped. Rage flared inside of him. "How can you say that?" He yelled. "Doesn't she mean anything to you? She's one of us!"

"She's a half," Joe corrected nonchalantly. He kept his himself behind the trunk of the car so no one could see his stifling gasps and lone tears. She was his best friend's daughter, mortal or not. She looked exactly like him. How could that not mean anything?

Taking a deep breath and hastily wiping his face, Joe rose to face an enraged Zachary Goode.

"Elorics suffered a lot and sacrificed plenty. But the most painful thing we had to do was learn to _move on_. I'm sorry Zach. I know how hard it is, believe me I do," Joe said thinking of Abby. "But we have to move on. We have to get going quickly."

"No."

Joe turned stopped in his tracks and turned around slowly. "What did you just say?" He asked, raising his eyebrows. Zach has never said no to him, not ever. Being his Celostan, it was a general unspoken rule that you couldn't, because all Celostans wanted was to keep their subject safe.

"I'm not going without Cammie," Zach replied, just as surely and dangerously.

"Zach-"

"I don't care what you say. I am not leaving this place without her right here. She is not Abby and I am not you."

Joe felt as if someone just punched him in the gut. He felt his face coloring a deep purple. "ZACHARY JARED GOODE! GET IN THE DAMN CAR RIGHT NOW-"

He was cut off by an invisible forcing knocking him off his feet and flying in the air, guided by Zach's outstretched palm. He hit the bark of a tree, pinning him almost forty feet off the ground.

If Zach wasn't so angry and distraught, he might've laughed at the expression on his Celostan's face. But all he did was raise a cocky eyebrow and say, "make me."

Joe swallowed staring at the boy he knew since he was just two years old. He hardly recognized it as the boy he knew now. "What has gotten into you?" He whispered more to himself but Zach heard with his superhuman hearing.

"Love Joe. Love has gotten into me. And I know this is crazy but you were right. Love makes you think up is down and wrong is right. But I don't care.  
I'm willing to die for Cammie. I'm willing to sacrifice all the Eloric lives for just one tiny girl. Why? Because I'm in love. And it doesn't matter how strong you are, you won't be able to take me. Not now. I have too much strength than even the strongest Eloric."

Even Grant couldn't have beaten him now. He was filled with such passion and fire and zeal he could've burned down the whole state with just one breath, yes he could.

Everyone was speechless, especially Joeseph Soloman.

Something was taking shape inside of him, something was overpowering the fierce anger and embarrassment he was holding for Zachary Goode for the moment. It was pride.

No one knew better than Joe what it was like to love so fearlessly and fervently. He wanted to be furious but he knew if he was in Zach's shoes and if Abby was in Cammie's, then he would've done the same thing.

He would do anything, could to anything in the world, if it meant getting Abby back.

"Put me down," Joe said hoarsely.

Zach narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but did as he was told. After Joe's feet hit the ground, Zach felt like falling to his knees from lack of energy. Not that it took up all his stamina, almost telekinesis was as easy as breathing, it was due to the fact he just stood up to Joe.

Holy shit, he just stood up to _Joe._

The man he respected and feared and loved his entire life. He had never even gave a peep to his orders and right now he just threatened his guardian, which scared the crap out of both of them.

Zach was started to feel a little guilty, but didn't regret what he had done.

No way in hell would Zach leave without Cammie. He would rather die.

Silently, Joe walked to the house, without his usual swagger and every heavy footstep the handsome man made Zach feel double guilt.

He looked anxiously at Bex and Grant again. They pretty much mirrored his expression.

A few minutes later Joe returned.

Zach's back straightened as if giving himself a mental kick in the butt when Joe walked towards him, his expression grieve and dangerous. If it came down to another fight, then he would fight.

Nevertheless, Zach's breath increased as he stopped right in front of him. Joe was still much taller than his six foot stature and the beat up leather jacket and two day unshaven face made him look like a person you did not want to mess with.

The only reason why Zach had managed to do what he did was because he had the element of surprise and caught Joe off guard.

Now, he had a mere chance. Even so, Zach raised his chin, staring defiantly into the eyes that matched his own.

Joe raised his hand. Zach braced himself. And then felt something press into his palm.

He looked down to see a an old folded wrinkly paper. He regarded Joe curiously.

To his astonishment, Joe smiled slightly. "Go on. And be careful."

Zach nodded mutely, still shocked. After what he had done, and said he expected the wrath of a hurricane – literally.

He gestured for Grant and Bex to the car. "Joe?" Zach said, spinning around. "I'm sorry for what I said and did. I didn't mean it."

Joe nodded. "I know. Remember to be extremely careful Zach. No stupid chances. You better come back alive. With Cammie."

Zach smiled. "I will. Keep an eye on Rachel won't you? Keep her distracted." He jokingly wiggled his eyebrows.

Joe rolled his eyes, and if Zach didn't know better, he would've thought he was blushing. "Hurry up and go be the Knight in Shining Armor won't you?"

Zach laughed and hurried to join the waiting Elorics.

* * *

Six hours later of Grant's annoyingness and Bex's crazy driving does Zach manage to spot a sign that says Amsted, six miles ahead.

Even Grant manages to fall silent as Bex makes the turn and navigates a precarious two-lane road that twists up the mountain until they pass the town's border. They drive through it and turn left at the only stoplight in town.

Zach's fingers involuntarily twitches. He could feel the power and tension between the three of them as thick as smoke in the small little car.

"Hawks Nest, right?" Bex asked, her voice shaking a bit.

"Yep, a mile or two down the road," Zach manages say, glancing down at the map Joe had drawn in his lap. He didn't want to think about how or why he knew about the Circle of Cavan lair.

They reached a tree with E6 deeply carved into its side. From there, they left the trail, taking thirty steps past the tree to the right. That's followed by a hard left turn, and then, a tenth of a mile away, there's a tree that towers over the others.

In the small gap at the base of its twisted trunk, safely tucked away in a black plastic box, is the map that leads to the cave. After that they drove another fifteen miles, ultimately pulling down a muddy, deserted road.

"It's the closest any road can get us, five miles due north of the cave." Bex explained.

Zach held the map in his hands while Bex and Grant huddled around him.

At its right side Joe has drawn a heavy X. A winding path five miles long connects the X with where they are now, marked on the map's left side. Along the way they skirt a riverbed while passing various landmarks noted for their physical descriptions, all of which are carefully marked to keep on track.

Turtle Rock. Fisherman's Pole. Circle Plateau. King's Throne. Lover's Kiss. Lookout Point.

"Look," Grant pointed a rock a quarter mile away with an uncanny resemblance to a turtle's shell.

"I guess we know which direction to head first," Bex said.

And off they go, following the path set by the map. There's no trail, nothing that might allude to these mountains having been trampled by beings of another world, or even by beings of this one.

Once they reach Turtle Rock, Bex spotted a fallen tree that hangs over the cliff side at a forty-five degree angle, and thus looks like a fishing pole patiently waiting for a bite. And they hike on, following the trail as the sun lowers in the western sky.

Each step taken is another chance to turn around and walk away. But no one does.

After passing King's Throne, which is a tall slender rock that looks like a high-back chair, Zach immediately spots two tall trees leaning against one another at slight angles, their branches appearing like arms wrapped around each other in an embrace.

And Zach couldn't help but smile, for a brief moment forgetting how terribly scared he was.

"Only one more to go," Bex said, pulling him back into the clutches of reality.

They reach Lookout Point five minutes later.

All told, the hike has taken an hour and ten minutes, and the shadows are long and stretched as the last light of dusk drains away.

"Fuck," Grant whispers softly.

Bex, Zach and Grant drop to the ground and lay on their stomachs, staring across the small valley at the cave's almost indiscernible entrance.

"It looks just like the HQ in London, only a lot bigger," Bex whispered, visibly shuddering.

Zach's never seen one, but it was far larger than he had imagined, probably twenty feet wide and tall, but also much better hidden.

There's something covering it, a net or a tarp maybe, making it blend in with its surroundings; you'd have to know it's there to be able to see it.

"Perfect location," Grant whispered.

"Totally." Zach agreed.

His nervousness quickly turns to full-blown terror. As mysterious as the cave is, one thing I know for sure is that there'll be no shortage of things—weapons, beasts or traps—that could kill them.

"All right," Zach finally said, sitting up. "Everyone remembers the plan?"

Bex and Grant nodded mutely.

There's no time like the present."

Together they take our first step, then a second, and then their hiking down the trail that may very well lead to his and his friends imminent doom.

"Shh!"

"You're the only ones that talking!

"Ouch, my nose!"

"Stop trying to touch my ass!"

Zach sighed to himself. Being a six foot, muscular, grown boy does not help in situations like these, being squeezed in a suffocating tunnel.

If anything, Bex is the one that got it easy, being all slim and curvy. He tried to feel bad for Grant, who was like the freaking hulk but he was making so much noise that it was impossible to feel anything other than sheer annoyance.

"Chill guys we're almost there," Zach assured them peering through another vent. "Bingo," he muttered, prying it open easily with his massive strength.

"Weapons," he whispered behind him before dropping down silently. Bex followed nimbly immediately while Grant had a tad bit of trouble squeezing his large frame through but soon enough they all stood there in attack positions, Eloric daggers poised.

No one was there.

"Grant, watch the doorway. Bex, I need your help on finding the sneak suits."

Bex nodded and followed Zach deeper into the room.

It's cluttered with odd things, things that were obviously not from Earth, things humans would sit up and beg for.

After searching from nearly fifteen minutes Zach began to lose hope. "Maybe it's not in this room," he said gritting his teeth with frustration.

"It has to be," Bex said searching frantically. "It has to be."

"Um guys?" Grant called. "You might want to hurry up? I hear voices."

"How long?" Zach asked.

Grant cocked his head, calculating the distance his superhuman ears can hear. "I'd say you've got about seven minutes."

"Great," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"Maybe their activated so no one can find them unless they know exactly where it is." Bex offered.

Zach froze, contemplating her theory. They both turned to look at each other. "Think Zach, if there's one place you would hide an invisible suit, where would you put it?"

"In plain sight," he replied.

She nodded. "That's what I was thinking. Let's go back to the front."

Zach and Bex started clawing the air and walls, scourging for a hint of fabric in the seemingly transparent aerate.

"Four minutes," Grant warned, gripping his dagger tightly.

"I think I found it!" Bex whispered loudly, clutching something no one was able to see in their hands. She fumbled for a minute before stepping into it and being completely unseen except her face, looking like a creepy floating head.

"Come on guys!"

Zach and Grant hurried to put them on too.

"Hold hands so we can stay together," Zach whispered before pulling on his hood, just as the door opened.

Two Cavans stepped in holding silver small canon-like weapons, scanning the room.

He could feel Grant tense beside him.

_No_, Bex said with her mind. _They'll be missed._

The Cavans were soon satisfied that no one was in here and moved on to the next rooms.

Zach let out a breath before moving towards the door, feeling Bex and Grant follow him in perfect synchronization.

He'll never admit how grateful he was that two of his Elorics were here with him at his back –literally.

There was a cool breeze coming from a ventilation system and the air is oddly fresh, which Zach hadn't expected considering it's laced with poisonous gas. The gray walls were polished smooth like flint; electrical conduit connects dim lights evenly spaced twenty feet apart.

They passed several more scouts and slither by undetected. They jog, sprint, tiptoe, walk.

And when the tunnel narrows and declines steadily, they sidestep down it, nimbly as cats. The cool air grows hot and stifling, and a crimson glow at the end of the tunnel comes into view.

Bex, Grant and Zach shuffle towards it until finally reaching the cave's beating heart.

The cavernous hall is far larger than he'd imagined. A long, continuous ledge runs along the circular walls and spirals all the way, from top to bottom, giving the overall appearance of a beehive; and the place is every bit as busy as one, too—there are literally hundreds of Cavans in sight, crossing the precarious stone arched bridges, entering and exiting tunnels.

The deep floor and the vast ceiling are separated by a half mile, and they are situated very close to the middle. Two massive pillars sprout up from the floor and reach all the way to the ceiling, keeping the whole thing from caving in. The number of passageways around endless.

"My God," Bex whispered in awe, taking it all in. "It'd take months to explore this entire thing."

"We don't have months," Zach whispered back eyeing the lake of glowing green liquid down below. Even from so far away, the heat off of it makes it hard to breathe. But despite the near roasting temperatures, twenty to thirty Cavans work around it, retrieving carts full of the bubbling stuff and quickly taking it away.

"I think we can put a big X through all those dark narrow tunnels that look obstructed." Grant said.

"I agree. We should start with the one directly across from us," Zach said looking at what appears to be the central room's main artery, wider and better lit than the others, the one with the greatest number of Cavans coming and going.

The bridge over to it is just a long arch of solid rock that, at most, is two feet wide.

"Think you can make it across that archway?"

"We're about to find out," Bex replied.

They go slowly, shuffling side-ways for the first forty feet or so. Since they couldn't see their feet, Zach was more focused on not slipping, almost not noticing Bex stop ahead of him.

Thanks to his fast reflexes, Zach was able to stop in time but sadly that was not the case for Grant. He stumbled into Zach, nearly pushing them both of the bridge.

"What are you doing?" Grant asked. "A Cavan," Bex whispered, staring ahead of her with wide eyes. Racing towards them is a Circle of Cavan.

He's charging across in a jog, and he's already so close there's hardly time to react.

"There's nowhere to go," Zach whispered.

The soldier continues forward and when he's close enough Bex has her dagger out in a flash, plunging into his heart and pulling it out swiftly while and pushing him over the edge.

The Cavan lets out a guttural cry before he drops through the air, splattering far below with a sickly thud.

"There," Bex said calmly.

"Nice one," Grant congratulated.

But every single Cavan in the area has stopped in midstride, staring at one another with confused expressions. There too far to see the dagger and Zach prayed that they believed what just happened was just an accident.

Bex hurried forward and squeezed Zach's hand with relief when they make it across.

The next corridor is wide and busy, and it doesn't take long to realize that this was the wrong direction; the rooms look exclusively private, and the entire wing seems to be where the Cavans live: caves with beds, a large open cafeteria with hundreds of tables, a shooting range.

They rush down a nearby corridor to a winding tunnel deeper into the mountain.

Several tributaries lead away from the main drag, and they randomly turn down them based on nothing more than gut feeling.

Aside from the main hall we entered, the rest of the mountain is nothing more than an interconnected network of damp stone corridors, off of which various rooms' hold research centers with examination tables, computers and shiny, sharp instruments.

They pass several scientific laboratories and probably run a mile or two, with each new corridor that turns up nothing.

Stress floods through Zach veins.

"Come on, come on, come on!" He chants to himself, directing to the next turn and rush up a steady incline, before Bex stops in midstride and keeps a firm grip on Zach's hand, causing me to stop as well.

"The prison cells," Grant whispered.

Bex nodded. "We're here."

Twenty to thirty Cavans guard more than forty cells, all lined up in a row, with heavy steel doors.

"Look at all those cells," Bex said.

"Cammie's got to be in one," Zach said determinedly, this time taking the lead.

"Oh my gosh," even though he couldn't see her, judging by her choked up voice he can tell Bex is teary at the sight of the prisoners in brutal shape behind the steel doors.

Zach felt his heart constrict as well, but he kept on pulling them along, solely focused on finding his precious Gallagher Girl.

"Zach, hold on."

"_What?" _Zach hissed. His adrenalin was going haywire. Cammie was _so close. _He just had to see her, to hold her in his arms.

Bex had her eyes closed and was concentrating deeply, which was a hard feat, considering all the noise the Cavans were making.

"Cammie's not in the cells," she said.

Zach jerked towards her. "How do you know?"

Bex rolled her eyes. "I can sense it. I can't feel her presence. She's not here. I'm sure of it."

"Well if she's not here…" Zach trailed off.

"She's at the Torture rooms." Grant finished.

Zach's heart thundered, his breath becoming forceful just hearing it. "Well then let's go!" He choked. "It can't be far from here."

Through another door is a long corridor, this time with doors on both sides. Surprisingly, there aren't any Cavans in here but judging by the blood stains everywhere, he knew they found Torture chamber.

Thank goodness, there didn't seem to be anyone being totured at the moment, judging by the eerie silence.

Swallowing the bile in his throat, Zach carefully stepped past all the gore and guts – literally and rushed to the doors, pressing his ear against it briefly.

"Look!" Bex spotted to a trail of fresh blood.

Zach ripped the door off his hinges and before he can even step through Bex pushes past him. "There's someone here!" She cried.

A whimper replies.

Zach sparked fire from his fingertips so they can see through the dark, stale room but as soon as he spots the dirty and scared figure huddled in the dark corner it immediately distinguishes out.

"Cammie."

"Who's there?" A hoarse, frightened voice nearly shrieks and Zach suddenly remembered he's still wearing his sneak suit. Quickly pressing a button to deactivate it, he falls to his knees in front of her.

"Cammie, baby, it's me Zach. Were here to take you home baby."

She peeks out from behind her knees, brown eyes glowing gold in the heat of the fire.

"Zach?" She whispered. "Is that really you?"

She looks so vulnerable and scared Zach can't control himself anymore.

"Oh baby it's me. It's really me. I love you so much." He gushed scooping her in his arms and holding her tight.

Cammie held on just as hard, her tiny little hands clutching onto his shirt. Her head was burrowed in his chest and Zach could tell she was crying.

"I missed you Zach. I-they hurt me and I-" her voice wobbled and broke off in racking sobs that sounded as if she was choking on smoke, making Zach worry about her ribs.

But that was overpowered by the immense relief he was feeling that she was alive, and in his arms and now safe.

"I know Cams, I missed you more. You're safe now. We're here to take you home."

"We?" She looked up from Zach's shoulder at Bex and Grant who were standing behind him a bit awkwardly.

Bex waved awkwardly and Grant grinned.

She smiled back grimly. "Thank you," she whispered before looking back at Zach.

He smiled slightly. Even in her dirty rags, soot and bloody face and matted hair she still looked so beautiful. Thinking of how much he loved this girl in his arms made his heart literally hurt from the mental weight it was pressing down on it.

He looked into her deep eyes and they both seemed to say a million things without a trace of sound and Zach knew that his own priceless life is inevitably consumed within the rhythmic beating so her own very heart.

Their lives were interconnected and if one died, the other would die along as well.

"I love you," Zach whispered again. He hadn't imagined his first declaration of love to be inside a prison cell. He had expected a more romantic setting with moonlight maybe, or a sunset.

But the look in Cammie's face told him it mattered not. She smiled widely, and it lit up the dark room like rays of sunshine, before grimacing from the pain.

She took the frown of concern off his lips by kissing him passionately, trembling frail hands cupping his face.

"I love you too," she whispered against his lips.

Grant cleared his throat. "I really hate to break up this emotional-ridden moment, but we really need to get going."

Zach reluctantly pulled away. "You're right."

Wrapping an arm around Cammie's waist, he smoothly pulled her to her feet. "Do you need me to carry you?" Zach asked, furrowing his eyebrows with unease at the sight of Cammie wincing and taking ragged deep breaths.

"No-no I'm-" Her knees buckled and Zach immediately caught her. "Okay yeah."

"Okay, we need to get you into the sneak suit-"

"Um Zach?" He looked at Bex.

"You can see me right?"

"Yeah…"

"Well my sneak suit is activated…"

"Oh shit." Grant was staring horror-struck at the door.

They all turned and gasped. Zach felt the blood rush out of his face.

A woman stood in front of them, a dark cloak hiding her face.

Five Cavans flanked her, guns trained on each Eloric.

The woman lifted her chin slightly, the only thing visible from the hood was her red lips scarred and distorted.

Her smile was gruesome.

* * *

**Wow! 7,247 words man! A LOOONG chapter for the long break I've taken. Again sorry!**

**TO CLEAR SOME STUFF UP!**

**- As I said in the description, this is PARTIALLY based on the I am Number Four series. It has some elements in it, but most of the things are my ideas.**

**- So I decied to take away the Number One, Two, Three, Four and so on. SO THERE ARE NO NUMBERS!**

**- In my story, there are more Elorics than just 10, and also, they have multiple powers, some alike and some different.**

**- Avenger. Why did I call Zach the avenger? He has a certain history that's why. He's not like the other Elorics. Kind of like Piccatus Lore ya know? SO yeah, you'll see why later in the chapters.**

**Hope that helped! And review!**

**Love,**  
**Plain Is Prettiest!**  
**(At least to Zach Good and I!)**


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